IRANIANCINEMA

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2007-2008

Chief Editor: Shadmehr RastinDeputy Editor: Nassim Nadjafi

Writers:Houshang Golmakani, Robert Safarian, Alireza Mahmoudi,Nassim Nadjafi, Amir Bahari, Mohammad Bayat, Farzan Ghaem-Maghami.

Head Translator: Robert safarianTranslator: Hassan Jamshidian

Art Director: Ali SamieePhoto: Archive of Film International

Print: Ahoo Co.Publisher: House of CinemaPublishing Date: May 2008, Tehran, Iran

Inthe name of

GODthe bountiful&the merciful

4

Leader of the Islamic Revolutionon theImportance of Cinema

On the 14th of June 2006, 130 filmmakers, executives and poli-cymakers of Iranian film industry met with the leader of theIslamic Revolution of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He

listened to the filmmakers who talked about the problems of Iranian cin-ema and in the end, expressed his views on the importance of Iranian films.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution attended this intimate meeting as he himself put it "just as a listener". The meeting which was planned for one and a half hours lasted more than three hours in a very intimate and warm atmosphere.

Well-known film directors such as Majid Majidi, Kianoosh Ayyari,Masoud Jafari Jozani, Rasul Sadr Ameli, Tahmineh Milani and Fere-idoon Jeirani took part in the meeting and discussed the urgent problems facing Iranian cinema.

After listening carefully to the filmmakers, the Leader talked about theproblems elaborated in their speeches. He considered the growth of Ira-nian cinema a necessity and stressed that the key to the success of the country in the international cultural scenes is in the hands of Iranian film-makers.

Such a warm and friendly meeting between the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the people of Iranian film industry was unprecedented inthe history of Iranian cinema.

4

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In the name of God, the creator of beauties

T hree decades have passed since Iranian cinema achieved inter-national recognition, but few people know that it has a hundred-year-old history and more than 60 feature films are produced in

this country every year.In international festivals, Iranian cinema is known by a few well-known

film directors as its representatives, but film scholars, film critics, filmmak-ers and students of cinema have always been in need of first hand sources to help them to know better the humanistic cinema of our country.

To meet this need, The House of Cinema, The association of Iranian motion picture guilds, decided to publish a guide book containing a con-cise history of the development of cinema in Iran, introduction of some of the forerunners of Iranian film, its specific genres and trends, and brief information on important policy-making institutions, production compa-nies, universities, and film publications, with the aim of helping foreign-ers interested in this cinema to get a better understanding of its roots.

In the fourth chapter of the booklet you will find a short outline of the history, aims and structure of the House of Cinema (Khaneyeh Cinema- go to chapture 4), the main association Iranian guilds in the field of film industry, including in-troduction of the member guilds and their boards in recent years (2006-2008).

Also a special genre of Iranian cinema “Sacred Defense Films” that has many valuable samples in three last decades in Iran is represented to the world by this book. I hope this booklet can present a general and com-prehensive image of the structure of Iranian cinema, significant Iranian filmmakers, old and new, and the typical films in various genres, and thus serve as a good introduction for a more detailed and comprehensive study of a cinema that wishes to be the harbinger of peace, friendship and spirituality for the people of the whole world.

Reza Mirkarimi Managing Director

and Head of the Board of the House of Cinema of Iran

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C h a p t e r 1:A Short History of Iranian Cinema/7

C h a p t e r 2:Genres in Iranian Cinema/23

C h a p t e r 3:Cinematic Organizations and Institutions/37

C h a p t e r 4:House of Cinema/49

C h a p t e r 5:Film Schools & Training Centers/55

C h a p t e r 6:Iranian Film Festivals/58

C h a p t e r 7:Some Significant Eventsof Iranian Cinema in Last years/63

C h a p t e r 8:Film Production & Distribution Companies/77

C h a p t e r 9:Studios and Cinematic Offices/99

C h a p t e r 10:Film Periodicals / Press& Cinematic Websites /109

Index:

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Early Years 1900-1930

The kings of Qajar dynasty were extremely fond of visiting Europe. During

one of his visits to Europe, Muzaf-fareddin Shah, the fifth king of thedynasty, got acquainted with cin-ema and was fascinated by the new phenomenon of the time.

Equipment of filmmaking waspurchased and a few weeks later the first Iranian news film was shotduring a flower festival in Belgiumin August 1900. It was the firsttime an Iranian made a film aboutan event somehow related to Iran. Many baskets of flowers werescattered over the path of the king and Mirza Ebrahim Khan Akkas-bashi, the official cinematographerof the court, shot the event with a Gaumount camera.

Back to Iran, Shah showed great enthusiasm towards cinema

and Mirza Ebrahim Khan started shooting scenes from everyday life of Shah and his household us-ing the equipment brought from Europe. He would show these films among other news footagepurchased from France and Russia in religious ceremonies and Royal birthday parties.

Only small part of the footage depicting real events in the court shot in this era has survived and is kept in the archives of Gulestan Palace museum.

The first non-commercial mov-ie-theatre of Iran called “Soheil” was opened in 1900 in Tabriz by Catholic missionaries. However, the first commercial cinema ofthe country was founded by Ebra-him Khan Sahhafbashi in Lale-zar Street in Tehran. In 1904, he would show films bought fromEurope in his shop and later opened a movie theater in Cher-agh Bargh Street which worked only for a short period. Religious and politically motivated opposi-

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tion caused it to close. In 1930, the first Iranian feature-

length film called Abi and Rabi was shot by Armenian-Iranian di-rector Avanes Ohanian. No copy of this silent black and white filmsurvived. It told the story of two tall and short comedians and paved the way for production of Oha-nian’s second film Hadji Agha the Movie Actor (Haji agha actor-e sinama) in 1933. It is an important silent movie with a quite compli-cated narrative structure. The main character of the film is a tradition-ally-minded person who believes cinema is a corrupt phenomenon. However, when he appears in front of the camera and views his own image on the screen, his idea about the cinema changes.

In 1933, The Lor Girl (Dokhtar-e Lor), the first Iranian sound mov-ie, was shown in Tehran. It was directed by Abdulhossein Sepanta who also acted in the leading role of the film. It was intended for theopen-minded intellectuals as well as for the ordinary people.

In 1930s, the number of movie theatres of Tehran increased con-siderably. News shorts of Para-mount, Metro, Movieton, UFA and Pathe were shown along the silent and sound fiction films from Euro-pean countries.

As these films were very popu-lar, some Iranian students living in Turkey started dubbing them into Persian. Esmail Kushan was one of them. He worked in Turkish filmproduction projects as a cinema-

tographer. He later founded Pars Film, the first Iranian film studio,in Iran. In 1948, The Storm of Life (Toofane Zendegi) produced and directed by Kushan was screened.

The PioneersMirza Ebrahim KhanDirector, Cinematographer The official cinematographer of

Qajar court. He was the first Ira-nian using a camera and other filmequipment. He personally shot scenes from everyday life of Royal family in late nineteenth century.

Mirza Ebrahim Khan SahhafbashiDirector, Cinematographer A liberal businessman who found-

ed the first public movie theatre ofthe country in Tehran. He has ex-tensively written about cinema in the diaries he kept during his trav-els to Europe.

Avanes OhanianWriter, Director, Actor, ProducerAn open-minded Armenian who

immigrated to Iran from Central Asia. He founded the first film schoolof the country with the aim of train-ing film technicians and actors. Hedirected first Iranian feature films.● Filmography● Director:

○ Hadji agha the cinema actor (Haji agha actore cinema /1933)○ Abi and Rabi (Abi va Rabi/1930)

● Writer: ○ Hadji agha the cinema actor (Haji agha actore cinema /1933)

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○ Abi and Rabi (Abi va Rabi/1930)● Actor:

○ Hadji agha the Cinema actor (Haji agha actore Cinema /1933)

● Producer:○ Hadji agha the Cinema actor (Haji agha actore Cinema /1933)

Abdulhossein SepantaWriter, Director, ActorDirector of first Iranian sound

film, who also acted in his films,wrote poetry and composed music.● Filmography as director:

○ Leili and Majnun (Leyli-o Ma-jnun /1937)○ Black eyes (Cheshmha-ye siah /1936)○ Shirin and Farhad (Shirin-o farhad /1934)○ Lor Girl (Dokhtare Lor/1933)

Ebrahim MoradiWriter, Director, Cinematogra-

pher, Actor,ProducerAn innovator in film production

who played considerable role in the development of Iranian fictioncinema. He made two films none ofwhich were successful at the time in spite of their relatively good technical expertise. Destruction of his films are partly responsible forthe fact of his relative obscurity.● Filmography as Director:

○ The flawed jewel (Gowhare lakedar/1959)○ The Grafting of life (Peyvande zendegi/1953)○ The Back breaker (Kamarshekan/1951)○ The Sensual man (Bolhavas/

1933)○ A brother’s revenge (Enteghame baradar/1931)

Esmail KushanWriter, Director, Cinematogra-

pher, ProducerThe first professional film pro-

ducer of Iran. He founded Pars Film, the first Iranian film studioand started dubbing films into Per-sian in Iran. He is known as the producer of first Iranian best-sell-ers and the father of the commer-cial film production in Iran.● Filmographi as Director:

○ Asleep lion (Shir-e khofteh /1976)○ The Little warriors (Jangjooy-an-e koochooloo/1973)○ Falling of idolater (Ghoroub-e botparast /1968)○ Abraham in Paris (Ebram dar Paris /1964)○ I love you (Doostat daram /1963)○ Tears and laughter (Ashkha va khandeha /1963)○ Beautiful devil (Ahrimane ziba /1963)○ Velvet hat (Kolah makhmali /1962)○ The shadow of fate (Saye-ye sarnevesht /1962)○ Dragon’s tooth (Dandane af’ii /1961)○ Spirit’s vengeance (Enteghame ruh/1960)○ The Milkman (Shirforoush /1960)○ Runaway bride (Arous-e far-ari /1958)○ The Thief of Love (Dozde eghq/1952)

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● Hadji Agha,the cinema actor (Haji agha actore cinema / Avanes Ohanian/ 1933)

● Leili and Majnun (Leyli-o Majnun/ Abdulhossein Sepanta/ 1937)

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○ The Enchanter (Afsungar /1952)○ Mother (Madar /1951)○ Masty-e eshq (1951)○ Ashamed (Sharmsar /1950)○ The Prisoner of the Emir (Zendani-e Amir /1948)

Farrokh Ghaffari Writer, Director, Actor, ProducerFrench educated intellectual with

great love for the roots of Iranian culture, who directed his first Ira-nian social drama film Downtown in 1958. He is among the firstpeople showing interest in writing a history of Iranian films and thefounder of “Kanoone Filme Iran” (Iranian cinemateque), where the best of contemporary world cin-ema and film history were shown.Many of the filmmakers of thenext generation were members of “Kanoone Filme Iran”.● Filmographi as director:

○ The Falconet (Zanburak /1975)○ Night of the hunchback (Shabe ghuzi /1965)○ Which is the bride? (Arus ko-doome? /1959)○ South of the City (Jonube shahr/1958)

Formation 1949-1950

In 1940s, two groups of people played crucial role in the devel-opment of Iranian cinema: Film technicians, mostly Christians of Armenian origin, who prepared the ground for later technical growth of Iranian films and thepopular entertainment artists who provided Iranian movies with script-writers, directors and ac-tors. These were the sources of skilled manpower of Iranian cin-ema for two decades.

Meanwhile, film companies,mainly established in Tehran, helped to the increase of Iranian film audience, through importa-tion and exhibition of Turkish, Egyptian and European movies. However, with the increasing number of foreign films dubbedinto Persian, the audience for Ira-nian movies declined. The new urban middle class, a product of growing state beurocracy in the main cities, welcomed cinema as a form of entertainment and this caused an interest on the part of film producers to improve thequality of their products.

Singers and dancers were the first Iranian movie stars. Withavailability of cinema as a rela-tively inexpensive medium, now ordinary middle class people had the chance to enjoy their songs and images without having to pay large amounts of money to visit

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● The Swallows Return to Their Nest (Parastoha be lane baz migardand /Majid Mohseni/1963)

● On the set of South of the city (Jonube shahr /Farrokh Ghaffari/1958)

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expensive casinos and night clubs of wealthy urban upper classes. Mahvash and Delkesh, first Ira-nian female stars, were famous as dancer and singer, prior to acting in the movies.

Nasser Malekmotii acquired great popularity in the same period and became the first male star of Ira-nian cinema.

Last Decades before the Victory of Islamic Revolution 1960-1978

During this period, Iranian cine-ma was divided into two branches. In the first place, there were thepopular movies with protagonists who were mostly copies of the he-roes of Indian and American mov-ies highly in demand. These were dominated by stars and tightly controlled by producers. The di-rector, like almost everyone else in the crew, was selected to act ac-cording to the will of the producer to serve the financial goals of thestudio. These films were charac-terized by their poor visual quality and simplistic narrative structure.

During the last years of Pahlavi era, the production of popular Iranian movies witnessed a sharp decline mainly due to the unre-

stricted import of foreign films.Many film-production companieschanged to distributors. In Teh-ran and throughout the country, the number of the film theatresincreased. However, the public preferred the technically polished foreign movies to the low quality Iranian ones.

The other section of Iranian cinema, later dubbed as “New Wave”, was protected by the Ministry of Culture and Arts and the state Radio and Television Organization. Some interesting cinematic works found the op-portunity to be made here. In-novative film directors appearedin the scene, who succeeded to attract the public to the serious fiction films. Centre for Intellec-tual Education and Development of Children and Young Adults and Tehran International Film Festival were among the institu-tions that played crucial part in emergence of a new intellectual Iranian film culture.

Iranian cinema after IslamicRevolution1978-2006Since the victory of Islamic Revo-lution in Iran, film production inIran has witnessed many ups and downs. The development of the

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Iranian cinema after the Revolu-tion can be best understood when considered in following distinct phases.

The First Period(1978-1984)

The negative attitude of large sections of urban population of the country towards cinema, mani-fested in numerous attacks at filmtheatres during the revolutionary demonstration in the streets of Tehran and other cities, was a good cause for many people to think that Iranian cinema would vanish after the victory of the Islamic Revolu-tion. However, the founder and great leader of the Islamic Revo-lution Imam Khomeini (Peace be upon him) declared in an illumi-nating speech that cinema is the height of civilization and stressed the necessity of creation of a na-tional cinema worthy Iranian cul-tural identity.

However, in absence of well defined regulations and practicalguidelines, the management of Iranian cinema was thrown into disorder. Practically film produc-tion came to a halt and the screen-ing of pre-revolutionary films wasprohibited. The armed militia that ruled in the streets interfered in the management of film theatersand made it almost impossible to draw and affect any kind of policy for film production and exhibition.Film exhibition was particularly in chaos. The screening of certain

films banned before Revolutionand distribution of Mos-Film pro-ductions provided by Soviet Union free of charge in the unofficialvideo distribution network, only added to the all-pervasive chaos.

The break of war with Iraq be-came another cause for driving cinema to the background com-pared to the urgent problems on the agenda of the new government.

Phase Two(1984-1997)

Creation of Farabi Cinema Foun-dation was a crucial step taken by the government to put an end to the chaos of film production anddistribution: Importation of for-eign films was prohibited, copiesof films produced before Revo-lution, were collected from filmdistribution offices and video wasdeclared illegal.

The production of new type of filmsappropriate for the new atmosphere was on agenda. Young revolutionary filmmakers were supported to pro-duce films with content correspond-ing to the Islamic cultural criteria. A great number of people working in film industry before revolution, bothtechnicians and artists, had left the country, so government took all the responsibilities -- from production to exhibition -- on its own shoulders. The outcome of these policies was emergence of a new generation of film-directors on the one hand andgrowth of a film production systemtotally dependent on state funding on

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the other. The number of the foreign films screened in cinemas dwindledconsiderably. Starting Fajr Interna-tional Film Festival where films ap-proved by the new government were supported was an important event in the direction of formation of a new Iranian cinema.

With supporting neglected genres like films for children and teen-ag-ers, the policy-makers intended to bring about variety to Iranian filmsand guarantee the emergence of a flourishing film production atmo-sphere. The continuation of Isfahan International Festival of Films for Children and Young adults spoke of the importance attached to the cinema for children in this period.

Government supported activity of the private sector in the fieldof film production; however, the“screening permission” remained a powerful means in its hands to control the production in its de-sired direction. Removal of video ban helped to create a more open atmosphere in these years. The public demanded genre movies such as action films and comedies.A prosperous film production tookshape that was partly due to the ef-forts of the private sector.

Meanwhile, expertise and inno-vative urges of two generations of Iranian filmmakers helped to theemergence of a serious spiritual Ira-nian cinema which attracted the at-tention of International film festivalsas well as Iranian film critics. Theinnovative young directors were in the focus of public attention more

than movie-stars. Establishment of (Khaneyeh Cinema) House of Cin-ema as a kind of association of pro-fessional guilds of various cinematic trades was another important event affecting the formation of a new film production system. House ofCinema plays considerable role in macro decision making processes of the Iranian film industry.

The Third Phase(1997-2006)

The presidential elections of 1997 and coming into office of areformist-minded government was the beginning of a new era for Ira-nian cinema as well. Because of the new cultural policies, more importance was attached to the private film companies.

Young male and female movie stars came to the foreground, filmssold better and some of them very cautiously broke the so called “Red lines” of the issues permitted to be discussed in films. With therelative prosperity of movie-going, the necessity of building new filmtheatres was on the agenda again. Though none of the film theatresclosed after the revolution were re-stored, some of those still working were rebuilt and renovated. In the towns with no film theatres newcinemas were built.

International success of Iranian films brought about a new genera-tion of talented filmmakers. Theyoung filmmakers launched onmaking short and documentary

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● Hamoun (Hamoun/Dariush Mehrjui/1990)

● The Runner (Davandeh/Amir Naderi/1985)

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films using digital equipment. Asa result, now a number of short and documentary film festivals areheld annually on national and lo-cal scales.

The increase in cinema atten-dance and relative improvement of box-office returns was the resultof the diversity of subjects of the films and the exclusion of foreignfilms from competition.

Today, the young, dynamic mov-ie-going audience of the country is seeking films true to its native cul-tural values that at the same time leave behind the amateurism of short film production and conformto the standards of professional filmmaking.

Iranian Films atInternational FilmFestivals

The first Iranian film exhibited inan International film festival wasThe Night-Party in the Hell (Shab-neshini dar jahannam/Moushegh Sorouri and Samuel Khachikian/1956) screened at the 8th Berlin Film Festival. In those days, the film festivals did not have a selec-tion committee and films were sentto them not by the producer but by the state, in the framework of in-tergovernmental cultural relations.

However, personal efforts of Mustafa Farzaneh and Ebrahim Golestan helped Iranian films at-tend international film festivals.The first instance of an Iranian filmawarded in an international event

was the case of the short docu-mentary A Fire (Yek atash/1961) by Ebrahim Golestan winning a bronze medal in 1961.

The establishment of cinema department of Center for Intel-lectual Development of Children and Young Adults and the begin-ning of Iranian New Wave in late 1960s was a breakthrough for Ira-nian films in terms of internationalrecognition. For example, in the years prior to the Islamic Revolu-tion, The Cow (Gaav/1969), Mr. Simpleton (Aghaye Hallou/1970), The Postman (Postchi/1970) and The Cycle (Dayereh mina/1978) by Dariush Mehrjui attended in in-ternational events forty times and won nine awards.

Sohrab Shahid-Sales with filmssuch as A Simple event (Yek etefa-ghe sadeh/1973), Still life (Tabiate bijan/1974) and Far From home (Dar ghorbat/1975) was also well presented in international filmevents.

Prominent Iranian film-direc-tors such as Parviz kimiavi, Ab-bas Kiarostami, Amir Naderi, Bahram Beizai, Nasser Taghvai and Masoud Kimiai were also in-ternationally successful. Iranian animators like Ali-Akbar Sadeghi, Noureddin Zarrinkelk, Farshid Mesghali and Nafiseh Riahi madenames for themselves as interna-tionally known animation film-makers.

In the first years after the victoryof the Islamic Revolution, filmproduction and presence of Iranian

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● The Cow (Gaav/ Dariush Mehrjui /1969)

● Still life (Tabiate bijan / Sohrab Shahid-Sales /1974 )

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films in international film festi-vals declined. However, this was temporary, and in 1985, The Run-ner (Davandeh/Amir Naderi/1985) was hailed in many world filmfestivals and a new era of victori-ous international presence opened for Iranian films. In addition tothe artistic merits of the film, theinternational activities of Farabi Cinema Foundation played an im-portant role in the success of The Runner. The success of The Run-ner continued and in 1988-1990 the Iranian cinema witnessed new levels of demand for Iranian filmsto be included in the programs of film festivals. Since then, in spiteof changes in the management of Farabi Cinema Foundation, world

acclaim of Iranian cinema has not decreased. Films produced by Iran Young Cinema Society have opened their way to the interna-tional scene while some feature-length Iranian movies have been bought and distributed by interna-tional companies.

Among the prizes won by Ira-nian films, the Golden Palm (Palmd’Ore) of Cannes International Film Festival awarded to The Taste of cherry (Ta’me guillas/Ab-bas Kiarostami/1997) is the most prominent. Majid Majidi’s The Children of heaven (Bacheha-ye aseman/1997) was the first Iranianfilm nominated for the academyaward in the category of best for-eign language film.

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● The Taste of cherry (Ta’me guillas/Abbas Kiarostami/1997)

● The Children of heaven (Bacheha-ye aseman/Majid Majidi /1997 )

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Social Drama

Like everywhere else, in Iran too, the big share of filmproduction goes to fiction

films. They are made in a varietyof genres such as historical epics, social drama and comedy. Contra-diction between traditional moral values dominating personal and family life of Iranians with the new values coming to the fore with the development of a modern society in Iran is a theme treated in many Iranian movies.

Themes such as social class contradictions (Qaroon Treasure/Ganje Qarun/Syamak Yasami/1965), emigration from villages to the urban areas (Passenger from Heaven/Mosaferi az behesht/ Nos-ratollah Vahdat/1963) and living conditions of Iranian women (The Companion/Hamsafar/Masoud Assadollahi/1975) were treated in popular films made before the vic-tory of Islamic Revolution. Other issues such as the housing problem

(Off Limits/Kharej az mahdudeh/ by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad/1986), the problems of the disabled people (The Relationship/Rabeteh/ Pouran Derakhshandeh/1988) , challenges of a writer- house keeper woman (Blank paper/ Kaghaze bikhat/ Naser Taghvai/2001) and To be or not to be ( Boodan ya naboodan/ Kianoush Ayari/ 1998) are dis-cussed in the films made after theRevolution.

In the popular social dramas made before the Revolution, peo-ple with no social class such as singers, dancers and prostitutes were among the main characters. After the Victory of Islamic Revo-lution, more attention was paid to neglected problems of interest to the urban middle class. The devel-opment of urban life, the chang-ing demographic composition of the population, rise in the level of education and social awareness of the ordinary people brought about dramatic changes in the themes of the Iranian films. Box-office

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● Mother (madar /Ali Hatami/1990)

● Qaroon treasure (Ganj Qaroon/Syamak Yasami/1965)

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success of films such as The Ten-ants (Ejareh-nesheenha/Dariush Mehrjui/1986), an intellectual comedy with housing problems in its centre; Red (Ghermez/Fereidoon Jeirani/1998), a melodrama-thriller; and Ceasefire (Atash bas/Tahmineh Milani/2006), a romantic comedy, all treating rather old themes with better technique and more interest-ing cinematic polish while keeping in touch with the contemporary Iranian culture, demonstrate the popularity of social dramas when they address the urgent problems of general audience.

Documentary Films

Documentaries have been part of Iranian cinema from the begin-ning. Iranian documentary filmsfall into three main categories:

The first group films are focusedon the characteristics of Iran as a country with roots in an ancient civilization. Films made by Ma-nouchehr Tayyab on Iranian archi-tectural monuments belong to this category.

The second group films depictcontemporary Iran with the aim of demonstrating its industrial devel-opment. Documentary films madeby Ebrahim Golestan about the oil industry of the country are the most significant examples of thiscategory.

The third category is the docu-mentary cinema concerned with social issues. Films of Kamran

Shirdel are best known among the documentaries discussing social problems.

The Revolution and the eight-year-long war with Iraq following it brought with them a new kind of documentary. Films such as The Search (Jostoju/Amir Naderi/1980) about the missing people of the days of Revolution and the TV series The Narrative of victory(Ravayat-e Fath/1983)produced and direct-ed by Seyyed Morteza Avini are among the best documentaries de-picting the events of the revolution and war.

After the end of the war, expe-rienced documentary filmmakerssuch as Mohammad-Reza Mogha-dassian, Ebrahim Mokhtari and Farshad Fada’ian created beauti-ful works. However, it was the emergence of digital video that made filmmaking apparatus acces-sible to everybody that brought a new breakthrough to the Iranian documentary cinema. Young film-makers took the camera to the streets and shot images of the life of urban underprivileged like the homeless people or the addicted. More experienced documentary filmmakers such as Mohsen Ab-dolvahab and Pirouz Kalantary also made use of the capabilities of digital video. Maziar Bahari who is now working for Canadian TV channels made some of his filmsalmost single-handedly doing the videography, sound-recording and editing all by himself.

Some of the well-known Iranian

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● Blank paper (Kaghaze bikhat/ Naser Taghvai/2001)

● To be or nat to be (Boodan ya naboodan/Kianoush Ayari/1998)

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directors like Abbas Kiarostami and Rakhshan Bani-Etemad have been always interested in docu-mentary filmmaking as well andhave themselves created good ones.

Films forChildren and Young Adults

The production of suitable filmsfor children and teen-agers has always been a concern of the Iranian filmmakers and culturalpolicy-makers. The establishment of the Center for Intellectual De-velopment of Children and Young Adults known as “Kanoon” in late 1960s lay the ground for system-atic support for production of filmsfor children. The Centre attracted young talented filmmakers whomade several short and animation films for it. Later, it organized afestival for films for children andthe young adults. This was an im-portant step to encourage produc-tion of films for children.

Abbas Kiarostami, Bahram Beizai, Nasser Taghvai, and Amir Naderi are among the distinguished filmmakerswho made films for “Kanoon”.

In the post-revolutionary era, box-office success of films like The City of the mice (Shahr-e mooshha/Marzieh Boroumand and Moham-mad-Ali Talebi/1985) and The Dolls’ thief (Dozd e aroosakha/Mo-hammad-Reza Honarmand/1990) are proof of the existence of great

demand for Iranian films for chil-dren if they meet the special needs of their audience. However, there are examples of Iranian films forchildren such as The Jar (Khom-reh/Ebrahim Forouzesh/1992) and Where is friend’s home? (Khane-ye doust kojast?/Abbas Kiarostami/1987) that tell their stories in a more subtle and artistic manner and though not doing well in the box-office, are part of the Iranianfilm culture.

Continuation of the Isfahan In-ternational Film Festival of Films for Children and Young Adults speaks of the important attached to the cinema for children by the au-thorities in the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

Kolahghermezi and pesarkhaleh (The Boy wearing a red hat and his cousin, Iraj Tahmaseb/1994), with a TV puppet show character has been the best-selling Iranian movie made for children.

The Sacred Defense Films

The eight-year-long Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) had a thorough effect on Iranian society as a whole and on the Iranian cinema as well. A new genre of Iranian war filmsemerged and was officially labeledas “Sacred Defense Cinema”. Films made under this category are mainly work of film directorswho have themselves experienced the war in reality and come to re-

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● Where is friend’s home? (Khane-ye doust kojast?/Abbas Kiarostami/1987)

● Bashu,the little stranger (Bashu,gharibeye koochak/Bahram Beizai/1989)

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alize the fundamental differences between Iran-Iraq confrontation and other wars. While seeing the war in itself an evil, they concen-trate on the humanistic and moral issues among Islamic fighters com-ing to the fore in the conditions of fighting.

The films of “Sacred Defense Cine-ma” can be divided into two groups:

The films produced during theeight years of the war. These have an epic and heroic tone and their main objective is to boost the morale of the fighters in the war-fronts. The Nocturnal flight (Par-vaz dar shab/Rasool Mollagholi poor/1987) is a good instance of this type.

However, after the end of the war, Iranian war films increasingly paidmore attention to the consequences of the prolonged war. The contrast between the high morality and spirit prevalent in the warfronts among the Islamic combatants and the dire social issues and rise of material-istic values in the cities provided a basis for a variety of stories told by these films. Ebrahim Hatami-Kiais the most notable director of this kind of films. In films such as From Karkheh to Rhine (Az Kharkheh ta Rhine/1993), Glass Agency (Ajans-e shisheh-i /1997)and In the Name of Father (Be nam e pedar/2006), he proved himself capable of combin-ing popular story-telling conven-tions and well-established rules of cinematic genres such as melodrama and thriller with the true contempo-rary problems of the Iranian society.

Investment of rather big sums of money and the use of sophisticated equipment in making of war films,has improved the technical stan-dard of Iranian cinema. In Duel (Ahmad-Reza Darvish/2004) there are extremely well-made scenes of shelling and fighting that can rivalwith similar scenes of western war movies.

New waveIn late 1960s, when Iranian cin-

ema was under the dominance of simple-minded melodramas and cheap comedies, a group of young filmmakers appeared on the scenewho thought the prevalent trend incapable of treating serious and deep-rooted problems the Iranian society faced.

Masoud Kimiai, Dariush Mehrjui, Nasser Taghvai, Fereidoon Goleh, Ali Hatami and Amir Naderi were among the directors whose filmsfocused on highly charged social issues. They cast actors and ac-tresses with a background in stage acting in their films. Their worktestifies to their good knowledgeof language of cinema and story-telling. Some of the “New Wave” films are based on the works ofcontemporary Iranian writers such as Gholamhussein Saedi, Sadegh Choubak and Mahmoud Dolata-badi. They were mostly protest-ing against the fake superficialmodernism officially propagatedby Shah’s regime. Most of these films have a nostalgic look at the

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● The Nocturnal flight (Parvaz dar shab/Rasool Mollagholipoor/1987)

● Glass agency (Ajans-e shisheh-i /1997)

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annihilation of traditional way of life and moral values or are eulo-gies of individual heroic action. With a rather good success in the box-office, they succeeded in theirrivalry with established commer-cial cinema.

Qaysar (Gheisar /Masoud Kimiai /1969) and Deers (Gavaznha/Masoud Kimiai/1976), The Cow(Gaav/ Dar-iush Mehrjui /1969) and The Cycle (Dayereh mina /Dariush Mehrjui /1978), Tranquility in the presence of others (Aramesh dar hozure deeg-aran/Nasser Taghvai/1973) and Sa-degh the kurd(Sadegh korde/ Nasser Taghvai/1972), Dagger (Deshneh/Fereydun Goleh/1972) and Honey Comb (Kandu/Fereydun Goleh/1975), Toughi (Ali Hatami/1971) and Sooteh-Delan (Ali Hatami/1978), Strait (Tangna/Amir Naderi/1973) and Tight spot (Tangsir /Amir Naderi/1974) are some of the sig-nificant films of this era.

Iranian Art Cinema

In Iran, the concept of Art cin-ema, i.e. films that experimentwith narrative structure and formal language of cinema, has been as-sociated to the names of two dis-tinguished filmmakers FereydunRahnama and Ebrahim Golestan. They knew European art film cul-ture very closely and made fea-ture-length films such as Siyavosh at Perspolice (Siavash dar takht-e jamshid/Fereydun Rahnema/1967)

and Brick and mirror (Khesht va ayeneh/ Ebrahim Golestan/1965) with evident experimental slant.

Ministry of Culture and Arts and National Television Organization supported production of art films.

Bahram Beizai with The Stranger and fog (Gharibeh va meh/1974), Ballad of Tara (Tcherike-ye Tara/1979), and Crow (Kalagh/1976); Sohrab Shahid-Saless with A Simple event (Yek etefagh-e sadeh/1973) and Still life (Tabiate bijan/1974); and Bahman Farmanara with filmssuch as Prince Ehtejab (Shazdeh ehtejab/1974) and Tall shadows of the wind (Sayehaye bolande baad/1979) contributed to the trend.

Fresh filmmakers like AbbasKiarostami and Mohammad-Reza Aslani, too, entered the field togive more variety to the art films.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution the conditions were ripe for the artistic tradition in Iranian cin-ema to bear fruit. Most of the interna-tionally famous Iranian filmmakersare in one way or another affected by the works of forerunners of art filmtrend in the Iranian cinema.

Short Films & Experimental Cinema

For the young people aspiring to become film directors, makingshort films has always been oneof the best ways to open their way into professional film production.

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● Brick and mirror (Khesht va ayeneh/ Ebrahim Golestan/1965

● Qaysar (Gheisar /Masoud Kimiai/1969)

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The same is true for Iran. Talented young filmmakers abound and theyhelp to create a film culture full offresh ideas and experimental inno-vation. Before the so called digital revolution in recent years, Iranian amateur filmmakers used 8mmand Super8 formats to create their films. These were later exhibited incampus film clubs. Many of he film-makers of this amateur filmmakingmovement of the last years prior to the victory of the Islamic Revolu-tion known as “Cinemayeh Azad” (free cinema) became professional filmmakers in post-revolutionaryperiod. Kianoush Ayari and Nasser Gholamrezai are two of them.

After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iranian Young Cinema Society became the most important

centre for amateur filmmakers. Theestablishment of the Documentary and Experimental Film Centre was another step to boost none-profes-sional filmmaking.

With the widespread use of in-expensive digital video cameras, short and experimental filmmakingwitnessed a real revolution. Thou-sands of short films are made andexhibited in the film festivals bothinside the country and abroad. The boom of film festivals has helpedthe short filmmakers to exhibittheir films to a greater number ofaudiences.

Ali-Mohammad Ghassemi, Shah-ram Mokri and Bayram Fazli are only some of the young talented artists who have made a name as experimental filmmakers.

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● Once upon a time,cinema (Nasereddin shah,actor-e cinema/Mohsen Makhmalbaf/1992)

● Smell of camphor, fragrance of jasmine ( Booye kafour atre yas/ Bahman Farmanara/2000)

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Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cinema Affairs

Historically, state supervision over film production and exhi-bition activities started with the regulation of management of filmtheatres by municipalities that continues to this day. Customs of-fice would control and regulate theimportation of films and qualitycontrol of the films was done bya special committee called Com-mission for Exhibition set up in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Until mid 1960s, Ministry of In-ternal Affairs was responsible for issuing screening permission for both foreign and Iranian films. Italso approved the film scripts buthad no role in policy making and played no part in leading or sup-porting film production. Actuallythere was no such thing as poli-cymaking and all government did was to approve or reject the films

presented to it for getting screen-ing permission.

Later, some of the tasks of regu-lation of cinema were trusted to the Office of Cinematic Affairsset up as part of the newly estab-lished Ministry of Culture and Art. However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs remained responsible for supervision of the films screenedfor public.

It was only after the victory of Islamic Revolution that compre-hensive policy making for all areas of film production and exhibitionwas concentrated in a department of Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance headed by a deputy minis-ter. In the organizational chart of the department are included the follow-ing subdivisions and institutions:● The Office of Evaluation and

Supervision with the task of over-seeing the correct implementation of regulations and policies of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in all stages of produc-tion and exhibition of films.

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● The Office of Audio-Visual Co-operation and Home Screenings. It regulates the production and distribution of audio-visual prod-ucts for home screening.

● The Office of Development ofAudio-Visual Technology. It oversees technical affairs and supports the organizations active in the field of development oftechnology.

● The Office of Planning and De-velopment of Cinematic and Au-dio-Visual Activities. Its task is to conduct research projects and production of statistical data that should serve as the basis for the planning and policymaking.

● The Department for Management of Cinematic and Audio-Visual Festivals. It is responsible for the organization and management of various International and internal film festivals.

● National Film Archive. It is the first department set up under theDeputy of the Cinematic Affairs. It conducts all activities neces-sary for systematic archiving and preservation of the cinematic heritage of the country.

● Farabi Cinema Foundation. Founded in 1984, it is supposed to be an independent beneficialorganization and the main execu-tive arm of the Ministry of Cul-ture and Islamic Guidance in the field of cinema.

● Iranian Young Cinema Society. It was established in 1976 with the aim of training the young people keen to make films and helping

them to acquire knowledge and experience through working in none-professional filmmaking,thus providing human resources for the professional cinema.

● Documentary and Experimental Film Centre. It was founded in 1994. Its objective is to support film students and professionalfilmmakers technically and fi-nancially for realization of semi-professional projects.

● The House of Cinema. It was founded in 1993. It is the asso-ciation of professional guilds of all cinematic trades.

● Visual Media Institute. It was es-tablished in 1992 for preparation and distribution of home video.

● The Museum of Cinema. It was founded in 2000.

● Cinema City Institute. Estab-lished in 2004, its main task is to reconstruct the old film theatres,to equip cinemas with new fa-cilities of film exhibition, and tobuild film theatres in the remoteareas of the country.

National Film Archive (Filmkhaneh)

National Film Archive of Iran has 57 years of experience in screen-ing the best of the world cinema and continues its weekly screening sessions every Tuesday in Cinema Sahara of Tehran.

It was established in 1949 by Farrokh Ghaffari who knew Henry Langlois and his cinemateque in Paris and was highly impressed

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by his work. When back to Iran, Ghaffari founded an Iranian ver-sion of cinemateque called Na-tional Film Centre which started its film screenings in 1951. WhenGhaffari went back to Paris, The activities of the National Film Centre stopped and did not restart until he returned to Iran in 1957.

The main objectives of National Film Archive were defined as fol-lows:● To help the growth of cinema as

an art form.● To introduce the best of film his-

tory and classical cinema to the public.

● To help to raise the general in-terest of public in cultural activi-ties.

● To prepare the ground for es-tablishment of a film productioncentre with the aim of introduc-ing Iranian civilization to the world.National Film Centre continued

its activities until 1972 when Na-tional Film Archive was set up by the department of cinematic affairs in the Ministry of Culture and Is-lamic Guidance. This new body took up all the tasks of the National Film Centre and Jamal Omid was appointed as its manager.

In 1989 the activities of the National Film Archive entered a new phase. The work of organiz-ing the film archive started to bedone more systematically. Direct link was established with the Film Archives International Federation (FAIF) and a report about the ac-

tivities of National Film Archive is presented to it every year.

In addition to the weekly screen-ings of National Film Archive, it organizes additional programs on special occasions.

Farabi Cinema FoundationFarabi Cinema Foundation was

founded by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to help to implement the cultural policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of cinema, to aid productionand exhibition of Iranian films,and to help to enhance the quality of the films. Among its aims is toprovide thematic patterns to the filmmakers and also to provide andsupply foreign films for exhibitionin internal market. Its activities are conducted by four departments:

1. Cultural AffairsIt is responsible for

● Approving film scripts withspecial subjects such as ones for children and young adults and sacred defense.

● Conducting researches on cin-ematic subjects, supporting uni-versity theses with subjects re-lated to cinema and organization of seminars and meetings.

● Publication of periodicals and books about cinema and preparation and publication of catalogues, bulletins, brochures and posters.

● Creation of a database for Ira-nian cinema to provide the film-

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makers, researchers and students with necessary information.

● Creation of Farabi Cinema Foundation website (www.fcf.ir) and keeping it up-to-date.

● Participation in organizing filmfestivals such as Fajr Internation-al Film Festival, International Film Festival of Films for Chil-dren and Young Adults, etc.

2. Supply and DistributionThis section of Farabi Cinema

Foundation is active in ● Preparation of foreign films for

exhibition, i.e. translation and dubbing of these films and Giv-ing technical support to the pri-vate companies doing similar job.

● Distribution of Iranian and for-eign films and supporting Iranianfilm industry with film stock andequipment.

3. Production and SupportThis department helps the film

production projects having offi-cial permission by providing them with film stock as well as equip-ment such as filters, lamps, projec-tors, screens, etc.

It is also the main source for rent-ing cameras, accessories and edit-ing facilities.

4. International AffairsFarabi Cinema Foundation started

its international activities in 1984. The Next year, with success of The Runner (Amir Naderi) in inter-national festivals, its efforts bore

fruit. The International Affairs department has done great job in introducing Iranian cinema to the world audience. Participation of Iranian films in internationalevents grew considerably in 1988-1990. Presently, Iranian cinema is greatly popular among compiles of the world and enjoys a stable presence on international scene. The main areas of activity of the International Affairs are:● Organization of joint production

projects.● Helping Iranian films, filmmak-

ers, and experts to participate in international film festivals, filmmarkets, and cultural exhibi-tions.

● Sale of rights of Iranian films inforeign countries and marketing Iranian films abroad.

● Purchasing foreign films.● Organization of Tehran Film

Market.● Publication of booklets, bro-

chures. posters and other pro-motional material as well as Iran Film Market Guide.The management of the Farabi

Cinema Foundation has changed several times since 1983. The founder and the first generalmanager of the Foundation was Seyyed Mohammad Beheshti. He was followed by Mohammad Hussein Haghighi, Dr. Rajabi, Mohammad Hassan Pezeshk, Ab-dulmajid Mohebbi, and Moham-mad Mahdi Asgarpour. Presently Alireza Rezadad in charge of the Foundation.

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Young Cinema SocietyLaunched in 1974 by the Min-

istry of Culture and Art of the time, Young Cinema Society quickly expanded its activities in Tehran and provinces alike. However, it halted all its activi-ties when the Islamic Revolu-tion took over.

In 1980, two years after the victory of the Islamic Revolu-tion, the need of an organization to teach the young people eager to learn the art and technique of filmmaking was strongly felt. So, some offices of the Society in Tehran and some other cities restarted their activities under the name of Iran Young Amateur Filmmakers centers. However, because of the insufficient fa-cilities and inaccessibility to ca-pable trainers, not all of the offices revived. In 1983, it was officially re-named to Iranian Young Cinema So-ciety and declared the training of the young generation of filmmakers tobe its primary objective. In the same year, it set up branches in Tehran and other major cities including Isfahan, Shahr-e-Kord, Orumiyeh, Kerman-shah, Tabriz, Zanjan, Semnan, Shi-raz, Gorgan, Maragheh, Damghan, Masjid Soleyman, Kerman, And Hamedan. Later, it gradually opened offices in all provinces.

The main objectives of the Young Cinema Society are the following:● Training of the young people as-

piring to become filmmakers.● Production and publication of cul-

tural, artistic and educational

pamphlets, books and films.● Organization of annual festivals.● Setting up classes and seminars

for the trainers and officials ofthe Society.

● Encouraging cooperation between Iranian and foreign trainers and filmmakers.

The Museum of CinemaIn September 1994, the board

of directors of the Museum of Cinema, a small group of filmenthusiasts, started the work of collection of documents, photographs, old equipment of filmmaking, etc in any way re-lated to the history of the Iranian films. In a short period of time, a great amount of documents and objects of historical importance were presented to the Museum. The official opening of the first phase of the Museum of Cinema in an old building in Lalezar Av-enue of Tehran by deputy minis-ter of the time was a step towards the coming true of the dream of having a museum for Iranian cinema. In 2002, the Museum was transferred to a larger and more beautiful building (Baghe Ferdows, the summer residence of Qajar Kings)in Northern Teh-ran and was officially opened by the president of the time Seyyed Mohammad Khatami on Sep-tember 19.

The Museum of Iranian cinema has three halls and five departments:1. The first hall and the entry to the

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Museum is the place of exhibi-tion of the early history of Ira-nian films.

2. In the second hall more recent history of Iranian cinema (1951-2000) is presented.

3. The third hall is the showcase of the world success of Iranian cin-ema and participation of Iranian films in International festivals.

4. A special section of the Museum is dedicated to the “Sacred De-fense Cinema” and the films pro-duced in this genre.

5. Documents and pictures showing the contribution of Armenian Ira-nians to the Iranian cinema are exhibited in another department of the Museum.

6. The documents, pictures and ob-jects related to the films for chil-dren and teen-agers are presented in another special section of the Museum.

7. Old sound equipment, grama-phones and vinyl discs, photos of musicians who have composed music for films are beautifullypresented in the Dubbing and Music department.

Art and Cultural Organization of Tehran Municipality

Tehran municipality set up a spe-cial organization to boost artistic and cultural activities in the so-ciety and to train the citizens the rules of behavior in a megacity.

The board of directors of the Or-ganization consists of:

● Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance

● Minister of Education ● Chairman of Islamic Counsel of

City of Tehran● Mayor of Tehran● Head of Islamic Propagation Or-

ganization of Tehran ● Director of IRIB ● Manager of the Center for Intel-

lectual Development of Children and Young Adults.

Its tasks are defined as follows:1. Drawing executive guidelines

for artistic and cultural activities of Tehran Municipality and af-filiated organizations on the basisof the general cultural policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

2. Planning, organizing, moni-toring and conducting cultural, artistic and sport activities of related centers, institutions, and organizations with the aim of developing an authentic Islamic and Iranian culture.

3. Managing the cultural and artis-tic institutions and centers affili-ated to Tehran Municipality.

4. Supporting the cultural and ar-tistic centers of Tehran Munici-pality by providing them with re-sources for research, and educa-tional equipment and facilities.

5. To encourage spirituality, affec-tion and sociability in the young generation.

6- Creating a suitable and safe at-mosphere for the presence of the families in cultural places and boosting their cultural interests

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and understanding. 7- Conducting cultural and socio-

logical research about Tehran. 8- Registering, saving and publish-

ing valuable cultural and artistic works.

9- Attempting to increase the in-dividual consumption of cultural goods. The production of cultural prod-

ucts in the Organization witnessed an unprecedented growth in 2005 when Mohammad Mahdi Asgar-pour was appointed the head of the Organization. Only in the last year, several television projects and movies like Mainline and M for Mother were produced by the Organization.

Iranian Association of Animated Films

Founded in 1977 by some stu-dents and teachers of animation filmmaking, it worked unofficiallyand held its meetings at the homes of the members until 1986. Mean-while it became a member of Inter-national Animated Film Associa-tion. In 1986, the graduates of the animation faculty of the Universi-ty of Arts officially announced theestablishment of the Association.

The Iranian Association of Ani-mated Films has organized three International Film Festivals and more annual events. Its main ob-jectives are:1- Providing ground for the growth

of the art of animation. 2- Active participation in interna-

tional animation societies. 3- Organizing cultural events such

as festivals, seminars, lectures, film screenings.

4- Establishing and operating re-search centers, information cen-ters and an archive of animated films.

5- Helping to facilitate the educa-tion and training of animation in the country.

Noureddin Zarrinkelek, founder and director of Iranian Associa-tion of Animated Films is also the chairman of the board of di-rectors of International Animated Film Association.

Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults

The Center for Intellectual De-velopment of Children and Young Adults was founded in 1964. A year after its establishment, it was interested in film production andlaunched a film festival for thefilms for children and teen-agersrun by Hazhir Dariush. In the firstthree editions of the event, not even one Iranian film was screened. In1969, Abbas Kiarostami, then busy in making commercials, was invit-ed to set up a film department forthe Centre. In the fifth edition ofthe Festival, seven films producedby the Centre including Bread and alley (Nan va koutche/Abbas Kiarostami/1970) were exhibited. In 1975, Ebrahim Forouzesh was appointed as the manager of the

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● Mainline (Khoonbazi/Rakhshan Bani Etemad /2006)

● M for mother, (Mim mesle madar/Rasool Mollagholi poor/2006)

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Department of Cinema of the Cen-tre and Noureddin Zarrinkelk as the head of a new section called Experiments and Training.

After some years of unstable management, Kamal Kharrazi was appointed as the director of the Centre in 1979. Abbas Kiarostami and Ebrahim Forouzesh resigned from their executive positions to focus on creative work for the center. The success of The Run-ner (Davandeh/Amir Naderi/1985) and Where is the friend’s home? (Khane-ye doust kojast? /Abbas Kiarostami/1988), two of the filmsproduced by the Centre, in interna-tional film festivals, put it in the fo-cus of intellectual film viewers ofthe world. In coming years, Kiar-ostami left the Centre; however its activities continued. It organizes an international film festival of an-imation films and produces films,some of which, such as Children of the heaven (Bachehaye aseman/Majid Majidi/1997), become inter-national successes.

Soureh Cinema Development Organization

After about two decades of semi-professional cultural activities and short film production since 1981,Soureh organization established its professional film productionand distribution company called Soureh Cinema Development Or-ganization. It tries to encourage a cinema true to the humanistic and

spiritual values of the society by providing production and exhibi-tion support to the films.

It has produced and distributed more than 50 feature-length pro-fessional films.

Visual Media InstitutionVideo entered Iran in the last

years of Shah Regime. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution, use of video-tapes as a form of en-tertainment became widespread. Video clubs opened everywhere to meet the vast demand and even a center for publication and distri-bution of video tapes was found-ed. However, in 1983 video was banned and all video clubs were closed. Distribution of video tapes went underground and became a profitable business.

It took a decade to found a legal organization for publication of video tapes called Visual Media Institution which put an end to smuggling and illegal circulation of video. Islamic Parliament ap-proved a law to regulate the use and supply of video players. The board of directors of the Institu-tion consisted of the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of the time, the manager of the In-stitute, and Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cinematic Affairs.

For many years, the Visual Me-dia Institution was the only organi-zation authorized to release video products. However, in 2000, Image

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of the Art World, the first privatecompany for release and produc-tion of video tapes was set up and official inaugurated in presence ofDeputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cinematic Affairs.

Presently, ten companies are ac-tive in the field, of course mainlyreleasing VCDs and DVDs. Their main problem is now piracy and il-legal replication which needs close consideration of the authorities.

Documentary and Experimental Film Centre (DEFC)

The main objective of the Doc-umentary and Experimental Film Centre (DEFC) is to support the production of documentary and experimental films. It sets theguidelines and general policies for the documentary and ex-perimental cinema and uses its financial means to implementthese policies. Influential both inpolicymaking and in production, it plays a very important role in the field.

Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)

IRIB is the national broadcast-ing organization of the country. It broadcasts five TV channels and isthe largest producer of TV films,documentaries and shows. It is an extensive organization with a large number of studios, production cen-

ters, laboratories and other facili-ties. Its task is to purchase, produce, dub, and broadcast a variety of pro-grams for all tastes and all classes of Iranian people. It also broadcasts for the Iranians all over the world and also in other languages for other people interested in Iranian politics and culture.

In 1994, IRIB set up Sima Film, an affiliated film production com-pany, for production of A and B quality movies, drama, documen-taries and other programs, with an emphasis on Iranian and Islamic moral, cultural and artistic values. Marketing and exchange of filmsnationally and internationally, cooperation with other organiza-tions, private or public, active in film production for the optimumuse of common resources and fa-cilities such as Cinematic Town, are among the other objectives of Sima Film.

Sima Film conducts research, collects, saves and analyzes in-formation about the Image In-dustry of the country and offers such information to producers and researchers. To meet its needs for planning a wide range of ac-tivities, Sima Film needs useful information about the sources of acquiring film-scripts, productionand technical facilities, film stockand so on.

The films and programs producedby Sima Film are broadcast by var-ious channels of Iranian state TV and also distributed through video network.

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Cinema Media International

The international relations of IRIB are governed by the follow-ing four departments of Cinema Media International.●Department of Marketing and

salesAll marketing and promotional activities for internationally sell-able films and programs of IRIBare conducted by this depart-ment. Attending international film festivals and film marketsand preparation of catalogues, brochures, posters and other ad-vertising material are among the tasks of the Department of Mar-keting and Sales. It is also re-sponsible for purchase of foreign films and programs.To perform its duties, it has sometimes to monitor the pro-duction process of a film or TVshow to guarantee its completion on time.

●Department of Joint ProductionThe Department of Joint Pro-duction is responsible for com-munication and coordination with foreign producers willing to make films in Iran and to providethem with technical support and to satisfy their artistic and orga-nizational needs.

●Department of Preparation and SupplyIt is mainly responsible for pro-viding scripts for production of programs and TV shows. To findand train new talented script-writers and sign contracts with them are some of its duties.

●Department of FestivalsAttending international film andTV festivals, study their organi-zation and methods in order to improve quality of national fes-tivals and also to participate in film and TV markets to purchaseprograms and to sell Iranian TV shows and films, are the respon-sibility of this department.

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The House of Cinema is an interesting and rare case of establishment of a trade as-

sociation by the government. It is something between an NGO and a syndicate and its fifteen years ofexistence have been an exercise in democracy. In 1989 The cinema De-partment of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance was trying to create a new kind of cinema in place of the pre-Revolutionary one that had been perished as a social insti-tution, but individuals working in it were still active. Seyyed Moham-mad Beheshti, the head of the Farabi Cinema Foundation at the time, often known as the architect of the new Iranian cinema, and his colleagues in the Ministry, decided to found an or-ganization that should bring together the people still busy in film produc-tion, to make it possible to negotiate with a social entity, not individuals. It was an endeavor to trust the han-dling of their affairs to the people, while keeping state control. This was in line with the general policy

of planning to create a cinema sub-sidized and supervised by state, but organizationally independent. They contacted well-known individuals of various cinematic professions and asked them to establish their guilds. Film-directors and cinematographers were among the first to react. Soundtechnicians, make-up artists and art directors followed suite.

By the end of the Iranian year 1371 (20 March 1992), when the first gen-eral assembly of the House was con-vened and the first elected board ofthe house took over, 19 trade guilds had been formed. Next year, in Feb-ruary 1993, for he first time, some ofthe programs of the Fajr Film Fes-tival, such as the first conference offilmmakers of Islamic countries andthe Paradjanov exhibition, were held in The House of Cinema.

During the following years, most of the members of the cinematic guilds were put under the coverage of life insurance. This was one of the dreams of all people working in filmindustry.

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In May 1996, Seyfollah Dad be-came the head of the newly elected Board of The House of Cinema. He was an established film-director. Ayear later, when he was appointed the head of the cinematic and audiovisu-al affairs department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in the first cabinet of President Moham-mad Khaatami, a new era of close cooperation between the House and the Ministry began. Representatives of the House of Cinema took part in various policy-making committees of the Ministry such as those respon-sible for qualitative rating of films,issuing production permits and regu-lating the exhibition. Thus the House of Cinema played a considerable role in designing and implementing the cultural policies of the government in the field of cinema.

In the same period, the first annualcelebration of the House of Cinema takes place. It was thought to be an Oscar-like ceremony to select the best film artists in various categoriesby their own colleagues. The celebra-tion helped the House of Cinema to be better known by the general pub-lic as an organization and consolidate its place in the cultural life of the Iranian society. President Hashemi Rafsanjani, and most of the veteran Iranian filmmakers, including AbbasKiarostami, took part in the event and gave credence to it.

During the same period, the prob-lem of job security was raised for the first time. A resolution by the Boardof the House of Cinema demanded al guilds to plan how to ensure that

the people employed in film projectswere legitimate members of the guild, to prevent the hiring of unqualifiedworkers and technicians with lower wages and to regulate the enrollment of new members of the guild. The aim was to guard job security of the workers of film industry on the onehand and to enhance the quality of films on the other.

The House of Cinema is trying to arbitrate the financial and other dis-putes between its members through its judicial bodies. The Supreme Ju-dicial Council made up of one repre-sentative from each of the guilds ap-pointed for a two-year term is respon-sible for the general policies. It elects the five members of the JudiciaryBoard, the body that does the actual job of arbitrating a large number of cases presented to it.

Film-Script Bank, founded in 1998, is a place, where any real person can register his/her screenplay, to guard it against possible appropriation and abuse by film producers and others.It is trusted by judiciary bodies of the House of Cinema, and its experts are counseled in several cases.

The public announcements of the House of Cinema on various occa-sions, that address a vast range of is-sues, from inviting people to take part in elections, commemorating the death of Iranian poet Ahmad Shamloo, to reacting to the arrest of filmmakers, closing down offilm publications and convictionof the US invasion of Afghanistan, show that it is not indifferent to its social environment.

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Presently, the following 29 guilds are member of the House of Cinema:1- The Association of the Actors2- The Association of the Stunts 3- The Association of Special effects 4- The Association of Make up Artists 5- The Association of Cinema Owners 6- The Association of Animation 7- The Association of Sound Artists and Technicians 8- The Association of Art Directors 9- The Association of Stage Designers 10- The Association of Film Photographers 11- The Association of Cinematographers 12- The Association of Laboratory Technicians 13- The Association of Dubbing Artists.14- The Association of Film Logistics Managers 15- The Association of Production Managers 16- The association of Film Theatre Managers 17- The Association of Documentary Makers 18- The Association of Script Clerks 19- The Association of Film Critics and Writers 20- The Union of film Producers and Distributors21- The Association of Editors 22- The Association of Assistants of Cinematography 23- The Association of Assistant Directors 24- The Association of Scrip-Writers 25- The Association of Film Directors 26- The Association of Film Teachers 27- The Association of Film Composers28- The Association of Documentary Producers 29- The Association of Short film Makers

Organizational Chart of the House of Cinema:Representatives of the

House of Cinema in various governmental bodies

ManagingDirector

The staff

Executive deputies

Judicial Board Temporary committees

InspectorAlternate Inspector

Trade guilds of various professions of film

production

General Assembly(two representatives from each guild)

Supreme Judicial Council

The Board(5 main + 2 alternate members)

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● House of Cinema, Tehran 2008

● Gathering held to three honors of Iranian cinema; Seyyed Mohammad Beheshti, Farhad Fakhreddini, Ali Kasmai in 11 th. Annual celebration of House of cinema/ From left to right: Alireza Davoodnejad, S.M. Beheshti, Kiumars Poorahmad, Reza Mirkarimi, Majid Majidi / 2007

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Presently Roya Teymourian, Mo-hammad-Reza Sokout, Mohammad Sarrir, Jafar Fatemi, Ali Moalem, and Kamran Maleki are the mem-bers of the board of directors of The

House of Cinema. Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi is the

chairman of the board and the managing director of the House of Cinema.

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TrainingCenters

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&Training Centers

The University of ArtThe University of Art (also

known as the University of Cinema and Theatre) was founded in 1964 by the Ministry of Culture and Art of the time and was then called the University of Dramatic Arts. It was the first higher educationinstitute teaching cinema. Pres-ently the University has five sec-tions, including a film department.The students of the department of cinema can specialize in directing, script writing, cinematography or editing.It grants BA degrees.

Soureh UniversityIn 1993, Soureh society started

to enroll students for higher edu-cation. It worked under the super-vision of Art Bureau of Islamic Propaganda Organization and in-tended to train artists committed to the cause of Islamic Revolution. Initially the students were admit-ted without any entrance exam for two-year courses. In 1997, the edu-cational department of Soureh was

renamed Soureh University and began to admit students through nationwide annual higher educa-tion examination for four-year courses and B.A. degrees. The stu-dents get practical and theoretical training.

IRIB UniversityIn 1966, Iranian National Ra-

dio and Television Organization founded its own college for train-ing technicians and artists for its ever-increasing production proj-ects. Initially it organized two-year-long courses. After the vic-tory of the Islamic Revolution, it developed into IRIB University in 1981. Department of Educa-tion and Department of Research are the principal sections of IRIB University. The first is respon-sible for all educational affairs of associate degree, BA and MA courses. It offers six specialized courses in film, television, graphicdesign, animation, photography, and production management. The

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Research Department is respon-sible for supporting all research projects and activities done in the University. IRIB University offers MA courses in Research in Media Communication.

IRIB University admits foreign students in coordination with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Presently, stu-dents from Albania, Bosnia, Leba-non, Afghanistan and Macedonia study there.

Iran Young Cinema SocietyIn Accordance with the general

policies of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to train the younger generation, the Young Cinema Organization launched its activities by opening 50 officesall over the country. Anybody in-terested in learning filmmakingskills can take part in its courses without taking any entrance exams and paying a small tuition. They can take short three-month-long courses in photography, directing, editing, scriptwriting, and cinema-tography.

Numerous films made by the stu-dents of the Society are being exhib-ited in international film festivals andawarded for their creative merits.

Private Institutions for Film Education

Due to the enthusiasm of Iranian youth to learn cinema, several pri-vate educational institutions have been founded. Initially these were

authorized by and working under the supervision of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. How-ever, in early 1980s, the task of supervising private film schoolswas transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

A large number of private filmschools were opened, many of them in Tehran, but only the better-organized ones survived. Acting schools are particularly popular among Iranian youth. The follow-ing are some of the better-known film schools of the country:

Beh Andish Cultural Institute

It was founded in 1996 by well-known film teacher and directorBozorgmehr Rafi’a.

It offered courses in script-writing, play-writing, film and theater direct-ing, cinematography, at various lev-els of associate degree, B.A and MA.

Samandarian Art Train-ing Center

Founded in 1994 by well-known stage actor Hamid Samandarian, It

offers courses in acting, direct-ing, and history of cinema.

Young Fimmakers CenterFounded in 1999 by Hussein Sa-

hebi, it has courses in script-writing, cinematography, directing, and acting.

Acting Workshop It was founded in 1995. It is run by

Amin Tarokh, the well-known actor of Iranian cinema and theatre.

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Expressive skills, Uga, rhyth-mic movements, improvisation, communication of the actors with the director, cinematographer and editor, are some of the topics taught in the classes of the Acting Workshop.

Karnameh InstituteIt is run by Negar Eskandarfar

and offers courses in acting, filmanalysis, and script-writing.

Kargahe Azad-e FilmIt was founded in 2001. It is

run by Mosoud Kimiai,the well-known director of Iranian Cinema. Training cinematography, Acting Directing is some of activities of Kargahe Azad-e Film.

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Festivals

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ilm festivals are symbols of dynamism and livelihood of the national cinema of a

country. Over fifty film festivalsare held in Iran every year. Each of these, focusing on a particular subject or genre, is an opportunity for discovery of new talent and ap-preciation of established filmmak-ers. The following is a list of some of more important film festivals ofthe country.

Fajr International Film Festival

It is held every year by Farabi Cinema Foundation during the ten days of celebration of the victory of Islamic Revolution (1-11 February). Fajr International Film Festival was founded in 1982 and has been held regularly since then. For several rea-sons, It is an important event in the cultural life of Iranian society. It is closely linked to the developments in Iranian cinema and is a showcase for the introduction of the best of its annual production. It is held on

an extensive scale and creates an enthusiastic atmosphere, thus draw-ing public attention to Iranian films.And finally, it helps to promote thestatus of the artists in the eyes of the society.

Thus, Fajr International Film Festi-val is a place for everyone interested in the present and past of the Iranian cinema and Iranian culture in general. It awards Crystal Simorghs (a bird in Iranian mythology literally meaning “thirty birds”) in various categories.Website: www.fajrfilmfest.com

International Festival of Films for Children and the Young Adults

It was initially launched as part of the fourth edition of Fajr Inter-national Film Festival in 1985. In 1990, it became an annual inde-pendent event held in historic city of Isfahan every autumn. It awards Golden Butterflies to the best filmsand artists taking part in the com-petition section.Website; www.fcf.ir

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Roshd International Film Festival

It is held by Educational Me-dia Procurement (Educational Technology) Department of the Ministry of Education. Films about a variety of subjects such as science, technology, Culture, educational issues related to the children and young adults, family, sports, health, and exceptional children take part in the various sections of the Festival. It is held in November 6-16 every year and awards the best works in differ-ent categories with Silver Statu-ettes.Website; www.roshdfestival.com

Tehran International Short Film Festival

It is held by the Iranian Young Cinema Society annually since 1983. In 1995, it became an inter-national film festival. Regularlyheld in November in Tehran, it is the most important short filmevent of the country and one of the best short film festivals on interna-tional level. Website: www.shortfilmfest.ir

Tehran International Ani-mation Festival

The Center for Intellectual De-velopment of Children and Young Adults organizes the Festival in Tehran biennially. It is a showcase for work of Iranian animators and an opportunity for Iranian audi-ence to see works by the best inter-

national artists of the field.Website: www.tehran-animafest.com

Iranian Student Film and Photo Festival (ISFPF)

Organized by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technolo-gy, this festival has three sections, namely the Main Section, Special Section and Support Project Sec-tion. This festival admits filmsmade by students in all genres. So far, the Ministry has held five edi-tions of this festival. www.isfpf.ir

Kish Documentary Film Festival

Held in Kish Island in the Persian Gulf by Kish Free Zone Organiza-tion, it is the only documentary film festival of the country. Vari-ous sections of the festival include: the Iranian Cinema Competition, International Competition as well as accessory programs such as re-view of documentary films madein other countries. Seven editions of this festival have so far been held.Website: www.kdffestival.ir

Sacred Defense Film Fes-tival

Organized by the Cinema and Audiovisual Affairs Department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance in cooperation with the Revolutionary and Sacred Defense Cinema Association, it exhibits new films as well as the classics of

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the genre. This festival has several sections including review of Sacred Defense films in competitive andnon-competitive sections. Ten edi-tions of this festival have been held so far.

Tel & Fax: +98 21 88807834-88809528

Red Olive One-Minute Film Festival

A festival dedicated to films aboutthe people of Palestine and their ordeal. It has two sections: One Minute films, and the films runningfrom one to five minutes.E-mail: info@zaytoonsorkh.ir

Police Film FestivalHeld by the Islamic Republic of

Iran Police, its objective is to pay trib-ute to artists appearing in police films.Website: www.pff.ir

International Urban Film Festival

Culture and Art Organization of Tehran Municipality organizes this event in cooperation with the City Image Development Institute. Its objective is to exhibit Iranian and foreign films about every aspect ofurban life.Website: www.urbunfilmfest.org

Green International Film Festival

It is held by the Department of Environment every two years.Website: www.igff4.com

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2005● In August, Alireza Rezadad,

head of the Farabi Cinema Foun-dation announced that Iranian Parliament had approved to al-locate 35 billion Rials budget for the improvement of film production standards of Iranian films. According to Rezadad, the money would be spent on creat-ing a cinematic infrastructure conforming to present day inter-national technical standards.

● Iranian movie Portrait of a Lady far away (Sima-ye zani dar doordast/Ali Mosaffa/2005) was selected as the best film of six-teenth Iranian Films Festival in Chicago by the audience.

● Cafe Transit (Kambuzia Par-tovi /2005) was simultaneously screened in Tehran and inter-national screens. French film company Margit Film released the film in USA, Canada, Eng-

land, Greece, and Unites Arab Emirates.

● Sean Penn in Iran: In June 2005, American film actor Sean Penn visited Iran. He said he had traveled to Iran to cover presi-dential elections of the country for an American newspaper. He interviewed some of the candi-dates, including Hojjatoleslam Hashemi Rafsanjani and Moham-mad-Bagher Ghalibaf. He also met with Iranian film people inthe Museum of Cinema, where he was awarded with a statuette of the House of Cinema and a prize by the Museum of Cinema.

● Winterbottom in Iran: English film-director Michael Winter-bottom, who had been in Iran for his film In this world (2002) previously, shot the final scenes of his latest film The Road to Guantanamo in Iran. He did so without much media coverage and publicity. The Afghanistan

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sequences were shot in Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran and the Guantanamo scenes in Chitgar area not far from Tehran.

● Documentaries on 52 Ira-nian film artists: Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi, who is also the man-aging director of the House of Cinema, has initiated a project of making 52 documentary films about the significant directors, actors, cinematographers and other creative artists of Iranian cinema.

He is also directing another project called A Film, An Experi-ence with the aim of production of documentaries about some indi-vidual films made after the Revo-lution that have attained the status of classics of Iranian cinema.

The objective of a third project run by Mirkarimi is production of documentary films about the significant cultural and scien-tific figures of the country. This is sponsored by the Cultural and Artistic Institute of Tehran Mu-nicipality. In 2006 he also fin-ished an episodic film consisting of shorts by famous Iranian di-rectors about Persian carpet.

● In March, in the 29th edition of Hong Kong Film Festival, Bahman Ghobadi’s film Turtles can fly (Lakposht ha ham parvaz mikonand/2004) won the best film prize of the Global Church. It was also selected as the best film by the audience in the 16th

Nat film festival of Denmark.

● The International Center of Children and the Youth Cinema which is located in Montreal, Canada, held its public meeting of May 26-31, 2005 in Tehran. It was hosted by the Center for In-tellectual Development of Chil-dren and Young Adults of Iran. The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance attended the meeting alongside representa-tives of 23 countries.

● In June 2005, the documentary film The Other side of Burka (Az pase borghe/2004) by Mehrdad Oskouei won the Golden Dragon of Short Film Festival of Kra-kow of Poland.

● In June 2005, Locarno Film Fes-tival awarded Abbas Kiarostami with an honorary award for his significant work in contempo-rary cinema.

● In December 2005, during the public meeting of the In-ternational Federation of Film Producers’ Association held in Paris, the application of Iran for membership was discussed and the House of Cinema of Iran was voted to be the thirty-first mem-ber of the organization.

● In November 2005, Morroco International Film Festival award-ed Abbas Kiarostami with an hon-orary prize. The prize was given to

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him by Martin Scorsese.

● In September 2005, dur-ing the 10th annual celebration of the House of Cinema, Akira Kurosawa was commemorated. World-famous Japanese direc-tor’s assistant Ms. Nagami and Satoru Iseki, one of the produc-tion managers of Ran (1985), were present.

● Iranian films are the most popular Middle-Eastern films in Europe. According to a re-port published by Focus maga-zine during the Cannes Film Festival, three Iranian films are among the Middle-Eastern films selling best in European coun-tries in the period 1996-2005. Kandahar (Safar e ghandehar/2001) by Mohsen Makhmalbaf with an audience of 1’350’000 topped the list, The Circle (Dayareh/2000) by Jafar Pana-hi with an audience of 572’000 was in the fifth place and Abbas Kiarostami’s The Taste of cher-ry (Ta’m e guilass/1997)with 421’000 audience occupied the 8th place.

● Ezzatollah Entezami was honored by UNESCO. The Weeks of Foreign Culture was held in Paris from 25th of Sep-tember to 7th of October 2005. As part of the event, Iranian veter-an actor Ezzatollah Entezami was honored formally in UNESCO palace.

2006● 1410 cases of presence of Iranian

films in International events, 150 in-ternational awards and participation of 26 Iranian film artists in juries ofvarious international film festivals in2006 was a new record for Iranian cinema. All in all, Iranian films havetaken part in 15114 international events and won 1168 international prizes after the victory of Islamic Revolution. It means that an Iranian film has participated in an interna-tional event every 1.5 day and one has won an international prize every 8.5 days.

● In January 2006, Jafar Panahi’s Offside (2006) won the Silver Bear of Berlin International Film Festival.

● Juliet Binoche in Iran: Ju-liet Binoche, the Oscar-winning French actress visited Iran in March 2006 on an invitation from Abbas Kiarostami. It was said that Kiarostami was thinking of casting her in his next film.

● Three Iranian films, Men at work (Kargaran mashghoole karand/Mani Haghighi), Iron Island (Jazireh aahani/Mohammad Rasoulof) and President Mir Ghanbar (Reisjom-hour Mirghanbar /Mohammad Shirvani) were screened in Traverse City Film Festival of Michael Moor begun from 31 July 2006.

● A few kilos of dates for the fu-neral (Chand kilo khorma baraye

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● Gathering held to honor Korosawa in House of Cinema

● Carpet, Horse, Torkaman ( Khosro Sinai / From Persian Carpet/ 2006)

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maraseme tadfin)directed by Sa-man Salour was awarded as the best film in the “Filmmakers ofOur Times” section of the Locarno Film Festival in August.

● On the 30th day of the Israeli bar-baric air attacks on Lebanon, Iranian filmmakers took part in a gatheringin “Cinema Felestin” of Tehran to convict the cruel act of the Zionist re-gime. The documentary film Ghana (Mohammad-Reza Abbasian) was exhibited in the end of the meeting.

● A 15 episode film named Ira-nian Carpet was made in order to represent Iranian carpet to the world by 15 Iranian directors. The producer of this project is Reza Mirkarimi. Iranian Carpet contains 15 short films made by Afkhami,Bani-Etemad, Beizai, Panahi, Ta-brizi, Daad, Raii, Zarrin kelk, Sinai, Farmanara, Kiarostami, Majidi, Mehrjui, Mirkarimi, Honarmand.

● Golden Shell of St. Sebastian Film Festival was awarded to Bah-man Ghobadi’s Half moon (Nimeye mah). The film was also awarded forits cinematography by Nigel Black from New Zealand. The latter, one of the four cinematographers of The Lord of the Rings, had traveled to Iran to work with Ghobadi. Half moon(Nimeye mah) was also select-ed by the FIPRESCI jury present in St. Sebastian. Ghobadi’s The Turtles can fly (Lakposht ha ham parvaz mikonand) had won St. Sebastian’s first award the previous year.

● Three films directed by Iranianwomen, Unwanted woman (Zane ziadi/Tahmineh Milani), Friday evening (Asre jome/Mona Zandi) and Sweet marmalade (Morabbaye shirin/Marzieh Boroumand), were screened in Babylon film theatre ofBerlin as part of the “Iranian Cin-ema Days” organized by Heinrisch Boll foundation of Germany.

● In October,Reza Mirkarimi, di-rector of films such as The Child and the The Soldier(Koudak va sarbaz), Under the moonlight(Zire noore mah), and So far away, so close (Kheili dour, kheili nazdik)was selected as the execu-tive manager of the House of Cin-ema.

● Fireworks wednesday (Cha-harshanbeh souri) by Asghar Far-hadi was awarded as the best filmin Chicago Film Festival.

● It’s Winter(Zemestan ast) di-rected by Rafi Pits won the SilverGrapes award of Viadolid Film Festival of Spain. The best cinema-tography prize of the festival was granted to Mohammad Davoodi for the same film.

● The 51st edition of Asia-PacificInternational Film Festival awarded Tahmineh Milani’s The Unwanted woman(Zane ziadi) for best direct-ing, best film and best film-script.

● Friday evening (Asre jome) by Mona Zandi was selected as the

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● So far away so close (Kheili dour kheili nazdik / Reza Mirkarmi /2006)

● The Turtles can fly (Lakposht ha ham pavaz mikonand / Bahman Ghobadi /2005)

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second best film Tsaloniki FilmFestival.

● In the Japanese film festivalFilmex, the audience voted for Jafar Panahi’s Offside as their fa-vorite.

In November,Farokh Ghafari, vet-eran Iranian filmmaker, founder ofKanoon-e Film (Iranian cinamate-que) and director of films such asSouth of the city (Jonube shahr/1958) and The Night of the hunch-back (Shabe Ghuzi/1965), who lived in Paris, passed away at the age of 85.

2007● A program of exhibition of

Iranian war films was organizedin Barbican Centre of London from 22 to 28th of February. Docu-mentaries on the eight-year-long war imposed by Iraqi regime on Iran were exhibited along feature films such as Gilaneh (Rakhshan Bani-Etemad) and Bashoo the little Stranger (Bashoo gharibeye koochak/Bahram Beizayi). On 24th of February a seminar on the war documentaries of Iranian cinema was held where scholars and film-critics lectured on different aspects of the documentary films madeduring the war and particularly the work of Narrative of victory (Rav-ayat-e Fath) group was discussed.

● 25th International Fajr Film Festival, Tehran, 1-11 February

Best Film: The Third Day (Rouze sevvom/Mohammad hossein Lati-fi) produced by Alireza Jalaly.

Best Script: Mainline (Khoon-bazi) by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Naghmeh Samini, Farid Mosta-favi, Mohsen Abdolvahab.

Best Actor: Bahram Radan for Ali Santoori.

Best Actress: Baran Kowsari for Mainline (Khoonbazi) and The Third Day.

Best Cinematography: Hamid Khozooee Abianeh for Barefoot in Paradise.

Best Editing: Sepideh Abdolva-hab for Mainline (Khoonbazi) .

Best Music: Diploma of honor to Kambiz Rowshanravan for Eter-nal Children ( Bachehaye abadi/ Pouran Derakhshandeh).

Best Sound Recording: Hasan Zahedi and Dariush Sadeghpoor for Barefoot in Paradise (Pa be-rahne dar behesht/ Bahram Tava-koli).

Best Sound Design: Mohammd-Reza Delpak for The Rules of the game ( Ghaede bazi/ Ahmadreza Motamedi).

Best Production and Costume Design: Mohsen Nowroozi for The third day(Rouze sevvom/Moham-mad hossein Latifi).

Best Special Effects: Mohsen Roozbehani and Alaeddin Pozhhan for The Rules of the game (Ghaede bazi/Ahmadreza Motamedi).

Best Make-Up: Mehrdad Mirki-ani for Mainline (Khoonbazi) .

Best Short Film: The Weight of being (Vazne Boodan) by Hamid Bahrami.

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● Gathering of Iranian Producers, directors and actors to protest illegal distribution of CDs and DVDs of Iranian films / June 2007

● Annual ceremony of the House of Iranian Cinema for documentary cinema/ September 2007

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● In March, in response to the screening of the film 300, “Asso-ciation of Guilds of Iranian Cin-ema” (House of Iranian Cinema), convicted the presentation of an untrue and ugly image of Ira-nian civilization in that film andannounced that the best way to response to such works is to pro-duce films that present the trueand noble face of Iranian civili-zation to the world. Warner Bros, producer of 300, announced that the film was based on a FrankMiller Comic Strip, was meant as pure entertainment and had no intention to abuse any nation or race or be a political tribune for anybody.

● In April, The Morteza Avini Award for best documentary was granted to The Pars Sea (Dary-aye Pars) directed by veteran documentary filmmaker Ma-nouchehr Tayyab.

● In June, gathering of Iranian film producers, directors and ac-tors to protest illegal distribu-tion of CDs and DVDs of Iranian films. In the final declaration ofthe meeting, they asked the au-thorities to take necessary mea-sures to safeguard the rights of Iranian film industry.

Awards of 11th annual ceremony of the”House of cinema”

● In September, the annual cer-emony of the “House of Iranian

Cinema” awarded the following as the best of the year:

Documentary Cinema:Best Short Documentary Director:Pirouz Kalantari for Tehran how

many richters? (Tehran chand da-rajeh rishter?)

Best Short Documentary:The Melancholic song of moun-

tains (Taraneye anduhgine kouhes-tan) by Hamed Khosravi.

Best Feature-Length Docu-mentary Director:

Masoud Bakhshi for Tehran has no pomegranates (Tehran anaar nadarad).

Best Feature-Length Documentary:The Lost land (Sarzamine

gomshodeh) by Vaheed Mousaian.Best Research for a Documen-

tary Film:Pirouz Kalantari for Tehran how

many richters? (Tehran chand da-rajeh rishter?)

Narrative Cinema:Best Short Film:Empty Fish Container (Tonge

khalie mahi) by Atefeh Khade-moreza.

Best Make-Up:Mehrdad Mirkiani for The Rules

of the game (Ghaede bazi/ Ah-madreza Motamedi).

Best Visual Special Effects: Alaeddin Pozhhan for The Re-

ward of the silence (Padashe Sok-out/Maziar Miri).

Best Field Special Effects: Mohsen Roozbehani for The

Third day (Rouze sevvom/Moham-

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● 11th annual ceremony of the House of Iranian Cinema / September 2007

● Night bus (Otobous shab / Kiumars Poorahmad /2007)

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mad hossein Latifi)Best Sound Recording:Yadollah Najafi for Mainline

(Khoonbazi/Rakhshan Bani-Ete-mad and Mohsen Abdolvahab).

Best Sound Design and Mixing:Masoud Behnam and Hossein Abol-

sedgh for The Night bus(Otobouse shab/Kioumars Pourahmad).

Best Art Director and costume Design:

Iraj Raminfar for The Havana case(Parvande Havana /Alireza Reisian).

Best Music:Karan Homayounfar for Zhani

Gol (Jamil Rostami).Best Editing:Bahram Dehghani and Reza

Shirvani for Barefoot in paradise (Paberahne dar behesht/Bahram Tavakkoli).

Best Cinematography:Hamid Khozoui Abianeh for

Barefoot in paradise(Paberahne dar behesht/Bahram Tavakkoli).

Best Actress for a complemen-tary Role:

Sima Tirandaz for The Reward of the Silence (Padashe Sokout/Ma-ziar Miri)

Best Actor for a complemen-tary Role:

Saber Abar for The Mina of the silent city(Minaye shahre kham-oosh/Amir shahab Razavian)

Best Actress:Baran Kowsari for Mainline

(Khoonbazi).Best Actor:Khosrow Shakibai for The Night bus

(Otobouse shab/ K.pourahmad).

Best Script:Kioumars Pourahmad and Habib

Ahmadzadeh for The Night bus (Otobouse shab).

Best Director:Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and

Mohsen Abdolvahab for Mainline (Khoonbazi).

Best Film:Mehdi Homayounfar for The

Night Bus (Otobouse Shab/Kiou-mars Pourahmad)

● Documentary Power festival of Landon announced For Freedom (Baraye azadi), a documentary by Hosein Torabi, as one of the most influential ten films of the history ofdocumentary cinema. For Freedom depicts the events of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, collapse of Shah Regime and victorious return of Ayatollah Khomeini to Iran.

● In October,The first editionof the documentary film festival“Cinema Haghighat” (Cinema Verity) held from 15 to 20th of Oc-tober awarded the following filmsas the best of the year:

Best Feature-Length Docu-mentary:

Diplomas of Honor to The Lost land (Sarzamine gomshode/Vaheed Mousaian), and Child, yesterday ,imagination (Koudak,dirouz,khial/Delaram Karkheiran).

Best Short Documentary:Ghodrat by Mehrnaz Asadi.Best Research:Mohammad-Reza Farzad for

Iran in Ads(Iran dar Elaan/Farahn-

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az Sharifi) and Mohammad-RezaAbbasian for Ghana.

Best Videography:Homayoun Payvar for M.D.M.A.Best Editing:Omid Bonakdar and Keyvan

Alimohammadi for M.D.M.A.Best Sound:Mohammad-Reza Aligholi for Ira-

nian wildlife (Hayate vahshe Iran/Mani Sadeghi).

Best Narration:Soudabeh Mojaveri for Inana.Best Producer:Ehsan Kafash and Mahmood

Ramazani for Yesterday child and imagination (Koudake dirouz va khial/Delaram Karkheiran)

Jury Special Prize:Mahmood Rahmani the director

of Ground Zero (Madaare sefr da-raje) and Soudabeh Mojaveri the director of Inana.

● M for mother (Mim mesle madar) directed by late Rasoul Molagholipour won the best fea-ture-Length film prize of Italianinternational film festival ReligionToday.

● In November, Iranian cine-ma was very successful in Asia-Pacific film festival. The Night bus (Otobouse shab/Kioumars Pourahmad)won the grand jury prize, while Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and Mohsen Abdolva-hab were awarded as the best directors for Mainline (Khoon-bazi) and Hooman Behmanesh as the best cinematographer

for Those Three(Aan seh/Naghi Nemati).

● American director Oliver Stone proposed to make a film about Ira-nian president Mahmood Ahmadi-Nezhad.

Box-Office Figures forIranian films from 2001to 2007

Iranian Best-SellersAmong the 46 films screened

in Iran in 2001, Killing mad dogs (Sagkoshi/Bahram Beizai/2001) earned the most box-office reve-nue (3,234,545,500 Rials/ 404,318 USD). The total sale of the Iranian films amounted to 41,520,000,000Rials/ 5,190,000 USD.

In 2002, 40 Iranian films werescreened. Kolah ghermezi and Sarvenaz (Iraj Tahmaseb/2002), a comedy with the popular puppet character Kolah Ghermezi (mean-ing the boy wearing a red hat) with 5,422,113,500 Rials / 6,524 USD sold best. The total sales of the year amounted to 45,350,000,000 Rials/ 5,668,750 USD.

The list of Iranian best-sellers of 2003 was topped by Tokyo Non-Stop (Tokyo bedoone tavag-hof / Saeed Alamezadeh/2003) witch grossed 4,326,011,500 Ri-als/ 54075 USD out of total sale of 35,300,000,000Rials/4,412,500 USD for all Iranian films of theyear.

In 2004, The Lizard (Marmou-lak/Kamal Tabrizi/2004) sold

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7,719,728,500 Rials/96,466 USD and topped the list of best-selling movies of the year. The total sale of all Iranian films in the sameyear was 55,950,000,000 Rials/ 6,993,750 USD.

Of 39 Iranian films screened in2005, Maxx (Saman Moghaddam/2005) became the best sell-ing film of the year grossing4,935,518,500 Rials/ 616,939 USD

out of the total box-office sale of57,400,000,000Rials/ 7,175,000 USD for all Iranian films of the year.

In 2006, Ceasfire (Atash bas/Tah-mineh Milani) sold 10,100,000,000 Rials/ 1,262,500 USD and became the best selling film.

In 2007, Ekhraji ha (Masoud Dehna-maki) sold 16,000,000,000Rials/2,000,000USD and became the best selling film.

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8th Art Institute Manager: Amir ZamCompany Profile: Home video distributorPhone Number: +98 21 44047100

79 Manager: Jahangir KosariCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 22001349E-mail: jkosari@yahoo.com

Abbandad Film Manager: Kianoush AyariCompany Profile: Production movies and AdvertisementsPhone Number: +98 21 88737626E-mail: abandadfilm@yahoo.com

Abgoun Manager: Ali-Akbar SaghafiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 77602047

AIDP Manager: Morteza Razzagh KarimiCompany Profile: Documentery ProducerPhone Number: +98 21 88312901 Website: www.irandoc.org

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Afagh Film Manager: Amir-Hussein SharifiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22229840Website: www.afaghfilm.com

Aftabnegaran Manager: Mohammad-Reza TakhtkeshianCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88849801-6E-mail: aftabnegaran@yahoo.com

Agahan Tasvir Manager: Mehdi BadelehCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 22871001-3E-mail: agahantasvir@yahoo.com

Alalia Film Manager: Nasser ShafaghCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88689184

Amayesh Honar Manager: Mohammad-Reza MofidiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 26210652-54Website: www.amayeshhonar.com

Aria Sanat Takhayol (LTD)Manager: Kianoush and Kurosh DalvandCompany Profile: Animation and Special Effect ProducerPhone Number: +98 6625301319Website: www.airananima.com

Alian Shiveh Manager: Mohammad-Ali Pirouzmand and Esmail AraavandCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88364685Website: www.alianshiveh.com

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Asr-e Entezar Manager: Habibollah KasesazCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 66420995

Aviny Cultural InstituteManager: Ali SoltaniCompany Profile: Feature Film, Documentary and TV Series ProducerPhone Number: +98 21 88572134Website: www.avinyfilm.net

Azersam Film Manager: Ramin MohseniCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88828371Website: www.azersamfilms.com

Arman Film Manager: Ali-Akbar ErfaniCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88987125

Aryan Film Manager: Yadollah ShahidiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88811920

Ayat Film Manager: Mohammad DormaneshCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88838513

Association of Revolution and Sacred Defense Cinema Manager: Mohammad-Reza SharafeddinCompany Profile: Supporting War and Revolution FilmsPhone Number: +98 21 88809528

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Bamdad Media InternationalManager: Mohammad Reza SafiriCompany Profile: Distributor and Film Producer and Co-ProducerPhone Number: +98 912 4274798Website: www.safiri.ws

Baran Film Manager: Amir-Abbas GardanCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88448917-18-41

Bamdad Film Manager: Manizheh HekmatCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88309538/88318827

Barg-e Sabz Institute Manager: Seyyed Mohsen TabatabaipourCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88828101Website: www.glir-docfilm.com

Borna Tasvir Cinema Cooperation Manager: Mohammad Husseinpour Company Profile: Production Television and Documentary FilmsPhone Number: +98 21 66499591Email: bornatasvir@yahoo.com

Boshra Manager: Seyyed Jamal SadatianCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88785220

Bonyad Cinema Affairs Institute Manager: Alireza SarbakhshCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88638933

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Baharan Institute Manager: Akbar SadeghiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88320038

Behnegar Manager: Seyyed Ahmad Musa-ZadehCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 22612527-28Website: www.behnegar.com

Bita Film Tehran Manager: Ali AtshaniCompany Profile: Documentary and Feature Film ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 66940396Website: www.bitafilm.com

Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon)Manager: Mohsen ChiniforoushanCompany Profile: Publishing Books, Producing Feature and Short Films and AnimationPhone Number: +98 21 88971371E-mail: intl_affairs@jamejam.net Century 21 VMCManager: Mohammad-Mehdi JafariCompany Profile: Distribution, Production, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 88319044/ 45/ 46Website: www.century21vmc.com

Chashm-e Sevom Manager: Ghasem GholipourCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 44204219E-mail: gh_thirdeye@kanoon.net

Chehre Azad Manager: Jamshid Shah-MohammadiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22088824

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Cinema 7 Video Entertainment InstituteManager: Mehdi EbrahimiCompany Profile: Purchasing Iranian and Foreign Film for Home VideoPhone Number: +98 21 22540352Website: www.cinema7ir.com

CMI (Cima Media International )Manager: Mohammad Reza AbbasianCompany Profile: Marketing Iranian TV Productions in International Atmosphere, Introducing Foreign Companies to Iran TV channels Phone Number: +98 21 22548032Website: www.cmi.ir

Ciball Honar Manager: Fo’ad AfraaviCompany Profile: Film and Series Production, Multi Media ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22210026Website: www.ciball.com

Ciran Film Manager: Hamid EtebarianCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22229491

Cima Film CenterManager: Hassan Eslami MehrCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22237695Website: www.irib.ir/cima.film

Dadgoo Manager: Mohammad Mahdi DadgooCompany Profile: International Production and Distribution of Audio & Visual ProductsPhone Number: +98 2188714221

Davood Rashidi Manager: Davoud RashidiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88511088

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DEFC (Documentary and Experimental Film Center )Manager: Mohammad AfaridehCompany Profile: Fiction, Documentary, Animation and Experimental Films Producer and Distributer.Phone Number: +98 21 88511242Website: www.defc.ir

Dega Film Manager: Morteza Razzagh KarimiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88752575

Didgah Manager: Mohsen ShayanfarCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 66594542

Eshraghi Animation CO.Manager: Mehdi KhorushiCompany Profile: Short, Feature Animation and TV Series, Short and Feature Fiction Film and DdocumentaryPhone Number: +98 451 3361769Website: www.animaeshragh.com

Fajr Cinematic Organization Manager: Abdulreza Sa’atchi FardCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88825650Website: www.fci.iran.com

Faradis Barin Manager: Manouchehr MohammadiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88307732

Fanous-e Khial Network Manager: Arash Mohammad NezhadCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88368947

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Farabi Cinema Foundation (International Affairs)Manager: Amir EsfandiariCompany Profile: All aspects of Cinema IndustryPhone Number: +98 21 22734939Website: www.fcf.ir

Farabi Cinema Foundation (Publishing Division)Manager: Dariush NowrouziCompany Profile: Publishing and Distribution, BooksPhone Number: +98 21 33932130Website: www.fcf.ir

Farhat FilmManager: Omid KhoshnazarCompany Profile: DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88308665Website: www.iranfilmseller.com

Filmiran Manager: Ali SartipiCompany Profile: DistributionWebsite: www.filmiranco.ir

Fanous-e Khial Manager: Gholamreza AzadiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88888985

Farhang-e Tamasha Manager: Taghi AligholizadeCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22884083-8

Farhang Film Kavir Manager: Alireza EtemadiCompany Profile: Short and TV Film ProductionPhone Number: +98 362 2722255 / 2728090

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Filmara Manager: Mehdi VedadiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88965839E-mail: Filmara_co@yahoo.com

Filmnour Manager: Fo’ad NourCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 55396389

Gol Film Manager: Hamid Reza AshtianipourCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88801976

Gouya Film Manager: Mohammad GhaziCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88828442

House of Art and Literature for Children and Young Adults Manager: Freshte TaerpourCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 77537685Website: www.taerpour@yahoo.com

Hedayat FilmManager: Morteza and Mustafa ShayestehCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88727188-9Website: www.hedayatfilm.com

Haft Orang Manager: Fereydun VahmianCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88792533Hedyeh Film Manager: Mohammad NeshatCompany Profile: Film, Series and Video ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88971211

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Honar-e Haftom Manager: Karim AtashiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 77503797

Hilaj Manager: Amir-Shahab and Seyyed Saeed RazavianCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88518515Website: www.hilaj.com

Ima Film Manager: Hussein ZandbafCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88327013-17

Ima Film Art and Culture Institute Manager: Ali MohammadzadehCompany Profile: Documentaries ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88423457-8

Iranian Independents Manager: Mohammad AtebbaiCompany Profile: Promotion and marketing Iranian independent short, documentary and feature films, Fund-raising for Iranian projects and local services for international projects in Iran.Phone Number: +98 912 3198693Website: www.iranianindependents.com

Iranian Source for Art and CultureManager: Mohammad-Ali ZamCompany Profile: Distributer, Buyer and Seller in Home Video FieldPhone Number: +98 21 66422939E-mail: irhomecinema@yahoo.com

Iranian Young Cinema Society Manager: Nasser BakidehCompany Profile: Short Film Producer, Training CenterPhone Number: +98 21 88773114Website: www.iycs.ir

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IRIB PACIRIB Program Acquisition CenterManager: Ali-Asghar GholamrezaiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 22024910E-mail: pac-acquistion@irib.ir

Jozan Film Manager: Masoud and Fathollah Jaffari JozaniCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88837271

Khane Sinamagaran JavanManager: Pouyan ShahrokhiCompany Profile: Feature, Educational, Documentary and TV Series ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88738076

Khat-o-Moj Manager: Alireza and Reza DaoudnezhadCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88768968

Kargah-e Film Andisheh Manager: Seyyed Mohsen VaziriCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88419126

Karan Film Manager: Behrouz RashadCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88418188Website: www.karanfilm.com

Kelk-e-Khial Manager: Mitra MansouriCompany Profile: Film and Animation ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88782953-5E-mail: kelk@kelk-e-khial.com

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Laleh Barg Manager: Gholamhussein BolourianCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88312850-1E-mail: lalehbarg@yahoo.com

Loh-e Zarrin Manager: Arman ZarrinkoubCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88810784

Life Media International Manager: Marjan AlizadehCompany Profile: Promotion and Distribution Feature, Documentary and Short FilmsPhone Number: +98 21 22067131E-mail: life-media@neda.net

Mahed Media International Manager: Seyyed Ahmad Mir-AlaiCompany Profile: Distribution, Producing Short and Documentary Films and TV Series.Phone Number: +98 21 88912184Website: www.mahedfilm.com

Misagh Cultural Center Manager: Mohsen Mir-MomeniCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +9821 77520188website: www.misagh.net

Mobin Film Manager: Seyyed Kamal TabatabaiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88826641

Mej Film Manager: Bahman GhobadiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88886072Website: www.mejfilm.com

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Mehr Faraz Manager: Dariush Mehrjui and Faramarz FarazmandCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88758708 E-mail: mehrjui@yahoo.com

Milad Film InstituteManager: Rasul Sadr-e AmeliCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88846777Website: www.miladfilm.com

Mina Film Manager: Seyyad Mohammad-Reza AalipayamCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88779314

Nahid Film Manager: Hojatollah SeyfiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88836988

Naghsh-e Aftab-e Shargh Manager: Amir SamavatiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 22901915-20

Naghsh-e Jahan Manager: Rasul TavakoliCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88823880E-mail: naghshejahanco@yahoo.com

Negin-e Shahr FilmManager: Jalal Ghezel AyaghCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88968181

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Namayesh Film Manager: Habibollah SahranavardCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88518703E-mail: namayesh.film.co@msn.com

Namayeshgaran Manager: Seyyed Nasser Sha’baniCompany Profile: DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88307586-7

Novin Film Manager: Ali Rajab-AliCompany Profile: DistributionPhone Number: +98 912 1032003Website: www.novinfilm.com

Niosha Film Manager: Mohsen GoudarziCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88730814Website: www.nioshafilm.i8.com

Neshane Corporation Manager: Iraj TaghipourCompany Profile: Production of Movies and TV SeriesPhone Number: +98 21 88300222Website: www.neshane.com

Nikan Film Media Manager: Bizhan EmkanianCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88812121

Omid Fil mManager: Sirous TaslimiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 229220200E-mail: ytaslimi@yahoo.com

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Pars Video CO. Manager: Mahmoud SoltaniCompany Profile: Supplying, Multiplying and DistributingPhone Number: +98 21 8851979-80Website: www.parsvideotehran.com

Pasargad Film Manager: Mehran TaeediCompany Profile: Film, Advertisement and Animated FilmsPhone Number: +98 21 88052948

Pakhshiran Manager: Haroun YashayaiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88824057

Pejman Film Manager: Alireza JalaliCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88001291E-mail: pejman-film@yahoo.com

Panjere Abi Manager: Mohammad-Ali TalebiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22938839E-mail: bwf_talebi@yahoo.com

Pendar Film Manager: Jafar AbdipourCompany Profile: Short, Documentary, Educational, Industrial,Advertising, Animated Film ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88748540Website: www.pendarfilm.com

Pouya Asr Film Manager: Abdollah AlikhaniCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66703574

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Payam-e Roshan Film Manager: Mansour MaznianiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66712975

Peyman Nour Manager: Ali ArdestaniCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 77505536

Picture World Manager: Ali MoalemCompany Profile: Magazine, ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22885400Website: www.donyayetassvir.com

Press TV Manager: Mohammad SarafrazCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22064712-13-14Website: www.presstv.ir

Rasaneh Fard Animation Production CO. Manager: Nader YaghmaianCompany Profile: Animation ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88261467Website: www.rfanimation.com

Rah-e Shiri Cinema CompanyManager: Ali Vajed-Sami’iCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88699344

Rah-e Erfan Manager: Mohsen MosaferchiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66963346

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Saba Center Manager: Maghsoud NaimizakerCompany Profile: Animation Production, Co-Production.Phone Number: +98 21 22000596Website: www.sabaanima.com

Sahra Film Manager: Majid ModarresiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88765392Website: www.sahrafilm.org

Sepas Film Manager: Mansour HeydariCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 77882596

Sepahan Film Manager: Mohammad BankiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66703047

Sepand Film Manager: khosrow Shojai, Majid MotallebiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88775456

Sanaadel Manager: Mahmoud HeydarianCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88977123

Simavid Manager: Omid NajibzadehCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88409037E-mail: simavidfilm@yahoo.com

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Sima-ye Mahaan Cooperation Manager: Hassan EnayatiCompany Profile: Feature Film, Documentary, Advertising, Animated and Educational Film ProductionPhone Number: +98 251 6611616Website: www.simayemahan.com

Simiagar Manager: Mohammad-Sadegh JalaliCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88795990

Sina FilmManager: Manouchehr Asgari NassabCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88832393

Shahrzad Media Manager: Ghasem JafariCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88952828Website: www.shahrzadfilm.com

Shekufa Film Manager: Dariush BabaianCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66416939Website: www.shekufafilm.com

Sobhan Cinematic Cooperation Manager: Saeed HajimiriCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 66415098E-mail: info@sobhanfilm.org

Silver Screen Manager: Hajjat HatamCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66403265Website: www.silverscreen.ir

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SMC (Soroush Multimedia Corporation)Manager: Mohammad Pishgahi-FardCompany Profile: ExhibitorPhone Number: +98 21 22054602Website: www.soroush-media.tv / www.soroush.ir

Soureh Cinema Organization Manager: Seyyed Hossein HaghgooCompany Profile: Acquisition, Sales, Production and Distribution of short and Feature Films Phone Number: +98 21 88897636Website: www.sourehcinema.com

Tash CenterManager: M.R.MohammadiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22016988Website: www.tasgcenter.com

Tebyan Film Manager: Farajollah SalahshourCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88327013-17Website: www.tebyanfilm@hotmail.com

Tasvir-e Sahne Manager: Mohammad Hossein JafariCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66497961Website: www.Hosseinjafari.com

Tasvir Gostar Pishro Manager: Mehdi AshkianiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88553590E-mail: tasvirgostarpishro@hotmail.com

Tasvir Novinfar Manager: Houshang NourollahiCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 66412644

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Tamashageh-e Raz Manager: Seyyed Yousef MonajatiCompany Profile: TV program, Advertising and Music ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88053300Website: www.tamashagaheraz.com

Tirazheh Film Manager: Ahmad Taghavi PouyaCompany Profile: Advertising Design and Production, Documentary and Fiction Film ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88770584/ 88770294Website: www.tirazhehfilm.com

Tasvire Donyaye HonarManager: Sirous ZolfagharianCompany Profile: Production, Distribution, DuplicationPhone Number: +98 21 88280088Website: www.tdhfilm.com

Tarh va Tose’e San’at-e Film Tehran Manager: Mahshid AfsharzadehCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88212501-2

Tolou Film Manager: Mohsen Ostad Ali Makhmalbaf and Vahid SedaghatCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 88938641

Touba Film Manager: Ruhollah BaradariCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22024445

Union of Home Video Distributor and Producer CompaniesManager: Hassan DahaCompany Profile: Programming, Buying, Selling and Showing the Foreign and Iranian FilmsPhone Number: +98 21 88288426E-mail: irhomecinema@yahoo.com

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Vasf-e Saba Institute Manager: Mohammad-Reza Shafi’iCompany Profile: Short Film, Video and Series ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 77567679

Visual Arts Institute Manager: Mojtaba ShahsavandCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 22040811Website: www.sourehcinema.com

Yekta Film Manager: Hassan TavakolniaCompany Profile: Production and DistributionPhone Number: +98 21 22883095-6

Zharfa Film Manager: Ahmadreza GarshasbiCompany Profile: ProductionPhone Number: +98 21 88065422

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Afagh Manager: Amir-Hussein SharifiCompany Profile: Sound and Digital EditingPhone Number: +98 21 2222984Website: www.afaghfilm.com

Aftab-e Alamtab Manager: Amir SamavatiCompany Profile: Music Recording, TV and Movie Production , Addvertising Phone Number: +98 21 88427737

Art Bureau of the Islamic Propagation OrganizationManager: Mohammad-Reza MohammadiCompany Profile: Sound and Cinematic Equipments Accessories and-

Costume Phone Number: +98 21 88963360E-mail: shtibani@sourehcinema.com

Ava Resana Film StudioManager: Kamran MizaniCompany Profile: Dubbing, SubtitlePhone Number: +98 21 22042774

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Ava-ye ParsiManager: Masoud BaghaiCompany Profile: Music Recording, Dubbing, Narration, MultimediaPhone Number: +98 21 66716641Website: www.parsmelody.com

Ayat FilmManager: Mohammad DormaneshCompany Profile: Technical SupportPhone Number: +98 21 88838513

Ahang-e Baharan Manager: Mohammad HaghighiCompany Profile: Dubbing, Editing, Mix SurroundPhone Number: +98 21 88606477

Alian Shiveh Manager: Mohammad-Ali Pirouzmand and Esmail AaraavandCompany Profile: Special Effect, Title, Subtitle, Editing, Digital SoundPhone Number: +98 21 88364685Website: www.alianshiveh.com

Andisheh Manager: Nazanin MofakhamCompany Profile: Editing and Dubbing Phone Number: +98 21 88408233

Badi Studio (Iran Film Industry Servic Center)Manager: Amir Badi and Keyhan KhosravaniCompany Profile: Printing lab, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88826068

Bahman Studio Manager: Massoud BehnamCompany Profile: Dubbing, Mix, Preparing films for Dolby Digital mix, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 77521312E-mail: info@bahmanstudio.com

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BellManager: Mohammad-Ali ChavoushiCompany Profile: Music Recording, Editing, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 88900894Website: www.bellstudiomeshkat.com

Bita Film TehranManager: Ali AtshaniCompany Profile: Dubbing, Subtitle, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 66921909Website: www.bitafilm.com

Central Studio Manager: Faramarz KavehCompany Profile: Editing, Dolby Surround, Special Effect Design, SubtitlePhone Number: +98 21 66713222

Ciball HonarManager: Fo’ad AfraviCompany Profile: Editing, Digital Dubbing, Subtitle, Narration, Music Recording Phone Number: +98 21 22210026Website: www.ciball.com

Cima Film StudioManager: Nasser KarimianCompany Profile: Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 22763010

Farhang film KavirManager: Ali-Reza EtemadiCompany Profile: Mix, Editing, SoundPhone Number: +98 362 2722255 / 2728090

Farhat Film StudioManager: Mohammad FijaniCompany Profile: Film Recorder System, Digital Editing, Special EffectPhone Number: +98 21 88342145

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Studios&CinematicOffice

Filmsaz StudioManager: Bizhan Jabbari, Nasser AnssariCompany Profile: Printing lab, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88309431E-mail: filmsaz@parsonline.net

Firouz film StudioManager: Sattar Dadash PourharisCompany Profile: Mix, Editing, SoundPhone Number: +98 21 77607035

Forugh Cinematic MediaManager: Mohammad-Reza Moini, Parviz Abnar, Behrouz Moavenian, Asghar Shahverdi, Nasrin KazemiCompany Profile: Editing, Dubbing, MixPhone Number: +98 21 44413106

Ghadr Media Film CompanyManager: Roham RanjiCompany Profile: Editing, EquipmentsPhone Number: +98 261 2241094

Honar Nama-ye Parsian Institute Manager: Mohammd Saeed Ghaeni NadjafiCompany Profile: Mix, Editing, SoundPhone Number: +98 21 88211570

IRIB Laboratory Manager: Mehrdad Agha-MohamadiCompany Profile: Printing LabPhone Number: +98 21 22162404E-mail: aghamohamadi@irib.com

Jurak StudioManager: Mehrdad JurakCompany Profile: Editing, Dubbing, Equipments, LightingPhone Number: +98 21 66718428

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Kanoon Studio (Affiliated of children and the youth cogitative training center)Manager: Changiz SayyadCompany Profile: Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88826207Website: www.kanoonparvaresh.com

Khane Sinamagarn JavanManager: Pouyan ShahrokhiCompany Profile: Dubbing, mix, Mastering, Editing, Camera, LightingPhone Number: +98 21 88738076

Kelk-e-Khial Manager: Mitra MansouriCompany Profile: Editing, EquipmentsPhoneNumber: +98 21 88782953-5E-mail: kelk@kelk-e-khial.com

Mandegar Manager: Amir RezaiCompany Profile: Camera, Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 77511133

Mosallas-e ZardManager: Sepehr SobhanfarCompany Profile: Digital camera, Dubbing, Lighting, Editing, Subtitle, Multimedia Phone Number: +98 21 88523631

Mina Film Manager: Seyyad Mohammad-Reza Aali PayamCompany Profile: Editing, Camera, LightingPhone Number: +98 21 88779314

Ministry of Islamic Culture and Islamic Guidance StudioManager: Amir ToussiCompany Profile: Dubbing Editing, Printing labPhone Number: +98 21 38512365

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Mahan Manager: Hassan EnayatiCompany Profile: EditingPhone Number: +98 251 6611616Website: www.simayemahan.com

Mehr FarazManager: Dariush Mehrjui, Faramarz Farazmand Company Profile: Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88758708www. mehrjui@yahoo.com

Noufeh CompanyManager: Nader RezaeeCompany Profile: Dubbing, Camera, LightingPhone Number: +98 21 88511116

Niosha FilmManager: Mohsen GoudarziCompany Profile: Digital Editing, Lighting, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 88730814Website: www.nioshafilm.i8.com

Orouj Film StudioManager: Mahdi OrganiCompany Profile: Editing, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 22708414

PopManager: Nasser FarhoudiCompany Profile: Music RecordingPhone Number: +98 21 88907174

Pasargad FilmManager: Mehran TaeediCompany Profile: Camera, Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88052948

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PezhvakManager: Fathali RoshanCompany Profile: Music Recording; Analog & DigitalPhone Number: +98 21 88897543

Peyman-e NourManager: Ali ArdestaniCompany Profile: Music Recording, Narration, Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 77505536

Pouya MediaManager: Jafar FatemiCompany Profile: Editing, Dubbing, Mix Surround, SubtitlePhone Number: +98 21 88011818Website: www.ad-iran.com

Rock FilmManager: Saeed KashefiCompany Profile: Dubbing, Mix, Digital Music RecordingPhone Number: +98 21 77534722-6Website: www.rock-film.com

Shahrzad MediaManager: Ghasem JafariCompany Profile: Editing, SoundPhone Number: +98 21 88952828Website: www.shahrzadfilm.com

Roud FilmManager: Ali Mosaffa, Safi Yazdanian, Fardin SahebozamaniCompany Profile: Editing, Dubbing, SubtitlePhone Number: +98 21 88839135

Roshana StudioManager: Amir-Hussein Saharkhiz Company Profile: EdittingPhone Number: +98 21 88502296-7Website: www.roshana.com

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Sobhan StudioManager: Mahdi KhosrowjerdiCompany Profile: Editing, Music Recording, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 66415098E-mail: info@sobhanfilm.org

Sepand Film StudioManager: Khosrow Shojaee and Majid MotallebiCompany Profile: Editing, Recording Subtitle, Special EffectsPhone Number +98 21 88775456Website: www.sepandfilm.com

Sina FilmManager: Manouchehr Asgari NassabCompany Profile: Dubbing, Editing, CameraPhone Number: +98 21 88832393

SabaManager: Ghasem AbediniCompany Profile: Music RecordingPhone Number: +98 21 88909887

Sound Film Manager: Mohammad MustafazadeCompany Profile: Editing, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 88909887

Soureh Visual Arts InstituteManager: Mojtaba ShahsavandCompany Profile: Editing, Music Recording, Dubbing, Subtitle,Phone Number: +98 21 22040811Website: www.sourehcinema.com

Tarannom-e Ney StudioManager: Majid GhanbariCompany Profile: Music Recording, Editing, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 88317055

Tolou FilmManager: Mohsen Ostad Ali Makhmalbaf, Vahid SedaghatCompany Profile: Editing, DubbingPhone Number: +98 21 88938641

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Tak Film ParsManager: Mohammad Sammak BashiCompany Profile: Dubbing, Mix, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 22377708

Tasvir Gostar PishroManager: Mehdi AshkianiCompany Profile: Editing, LightingPhone Number: +98 21 88553590Website: www.tasvirgostarpishro@gmail.com

Tamashagah-e RazManager: Seyyed Yousef Monajati Company Profile: Dubbing, EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88048843Website: www.tamashagaheraz.com

Tirazhe FilmManager: Ahmad Taghavai PouyaCompany Profile: Editing, MixPhone Number: +98 21 88770584Website: www.tirazhehfilm.com

Zharfa Film Manager: Ahmad-Reza GarshasbiCompany Profile: Dubbing and EditingPhone Number: +98 21 88065422

CH

AP

TE

R

FilmPeriodicals/

Press& Cinematic

Websites

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FilmPeriodicals/

Press& Cinematic

Websites

● Film Periodicals / Press:Bonni Film (Bani film/Daily)

Established 2003 Publisher: Massoud DavoudiManager: Massoud Davoudi Editor in Chief: Mir Jalil Seyyed Majidi Website: www.bonniefilmdaily.com

Cinema (Sinama/Weekly)Established 1992 Publisher: Hussein VakhshouriManager: Hossein Vakhshoori Editor in chief: Seyyed Gholam-Reza Mousavi, Freidoun JeiraniEmail: iraniancinema@yahoo.com

Cinema Theater (Sinama Theater/Monthly)Established 1993Publisher: Hussein FarrokhiManager: Hussein Farrokhi Editor in Chief: Ali Sarhangi, Mahdi Sharafeddini, Hussein FarrokhiEmail: Farrokhi.cinematheatre@yahoo.com

Cinema Industry (Sanate Sinama/Monthly)Established 2002Publisher: Shahram JafarinejadManager: Shahram Jafarinejad Editor in Chief: Shahram Jafarinejad Website: www.ci-mag.net

Cinema & Literature (Sinama va Adabiat /Quarterly)Established 1995Publisher: Homayoun Khosravi DehkordiWebsite: www.cinemavaadabiat.com

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Cinema Backstage (Poshte Sahne Sinama/Weekly)Establishd 2001Publisher: Majid Khodayar GhaghaniEmail: Ps.cinema@gmail.com

Cinema Backstage (Poshte Sahne Sinama/Weekly)Established 1987Publisher: Niloufar Zafar ArdalanEmail: Posht_e_sahneh@yahoo.com

Cinema Pooya (Sinamaye Pooya/Monthly)Established 2007Publisher: Mohammad reza BabagoliWebsite: www.cinemapooya.com

Cinema Video (Sinama Video/Monthly)Established 1994 Publisher: Abolghasem Talebi Email: mttsoft@gmail.com

Today Cinema (Sinamaye Rooz/Monthly)Established 1962Publisher: Parviz Samadi MoghaddamEmail: cinemayerooz@yahoo.com

Family Cinema (Sinamaye Khanevadeh/Monthly)Established 2005 Publisher: Zahra AmiriPhone Number: +98 21 22415726-36

Farabi (Farabi/Quarterly)Established 1988Publisher: Farabi Cinema FoundationManager: Alireza RezadadEditor in chief: Mahmoud Arjmand, Dariush Nowrouzi

Culture & Cinema (Farhang va Cinema/ mounthly)Established 1989 Publisher: Parviz Samadi MoghaddamEmail: Farhangvacinema@mail.com

Filmnegar (Monthly)Established 2002Publisher: Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cinematic AffairManager: Nosratollah TabeshDeputy manager: Nosratollah Tabesh Editor in chief: Keivan Kasirian Website: www.filmnegar.ir

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Websites

Film (Monthly)Established 1982 Publisher: Massoud Mehrabi Manager: Abbas Yaari Editor in chief: Houshang Golmakani Email: info@film-magazine.com

Film International (Quarterly)Established 1993 Publisher: Massoud MehrabiEditor in cheif: Houshang GolmakaniPhone number: +98 21 66709373Email: filmmag@apadana.com

Film & Cinema (Filmo Sinama/Monthly) Established 1992Publisher: Amir Saeed Naghizadeh Sahi Editor in chief: Sam PakzamirPhone number: +98 21 66917506

Peel Ban (Monthly)Established 2002Publisher: Amir Massoud Alamdari Manager: Mehrdad Alamdari Editor in chief: Ahmmad Ka’abi FallahiWebsite: www.philpan.com

Picture World (Donyaye Tassvir/Monthly)Established 1992Publisher: Ali MoalemManager: Ali Moalem Editor in chief: Ali Moalem Website: www.donyayetassvir.com

Cinematic Websites:www.Iranactor.comwww.iranfestivals.comwww.idba.ir (Iran Animation Bank)www.bonniefilmdaily.com (Bonni film Daily website)www.iranao.com (Iran Artists Organization website)www.cinema-theatre.comwww.shortfilmnews.comwww.peykemostanad.comwww.cinemaema.comwww.courehcinema.comwww.30nema.com